v. Also 6 wayken, weyken, Sc. waken. Pa. t. and pple. 4 waykned, 6–8 weakned, 7 Sc. waikned. [f. WEAK a. + -EN5.
In the following early instance the word may be a direct adoption from Scand.; cf. Norw. dial. veikna, MSw. and Sw. vekna, to become weak.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1422. So faste þay weȝed to him wyne, hit … breyþed vppe in to his brayn & blemyst his mynde, & al waykned his wyt, & wel neȝe he foles.]
I. trans. To make weak or weaker.
† 1. To soften. a. To steep (salt meat) in water, so as to remove the salt (cf. WOKE v.). b. To dissolve in acid. Obs.
1530. Palsgr., 770/1. I wayken salte meates, I lay them in water. Je attrempe en leaue. Ibid. (1540), Acolastus, II. i. H iv b. Clodius Esopus his sonne dyd at a banket eate a perle, weakened in stronge vyneyger.
2. To lessen the physical strength or vigor of (an animal or plant, its parts or organs); to lessen the functional vigor of (an organ or an organic power).
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 707. At the laste battayle the very strengthe of his chiefe souldiours was weakened.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., III. 149 b. Swyne … Afore they goe to pasture, they must be medicined, least the grasse skarre [sic] them to much, by which they wylbe greatly weakened.
1588. Greene, Pandosto (1607), G 1 b. Who gazeth at the Sunne, weakeneth his sight.
1643. Baker, Chron., Hen. II. (1653), 87. So strong a Corrosive is grief of mind, when it meetes with a body weakened before with sicknesse.
1764. Museum Rust., IV. 30. Such running to seed will weaken the plants much more than several cuttings.
1810. Crabbe, Borough, xxii. 331. Through the water came A hollow groan, that weaken’d all my frame.
1831–3. E. Burton, Eccles. Hist., xii. (1845), 282. The venerable Apostle was so weakened by age, that his disciples were obliged to carry him to the religious meetings.
1845. Budd, Dis. Liver, 130. Such measures … weaken the patient, at a time when his assimilating powers can scarcely maintain his actual condition.
1864. Tennyson, En. Arden, 821. A languor came Upon him, gentle sickness, gradually Weakening the man, till he could do no more, But kept the house, his chair, and last his bed.
b. In Bible phrase, To weaken the hands of: fig. to reduce the effectiveness of (a person or body of persons), to hinder, discourage. Cf. STRENGTHEN v. 2 b.
1560. Bible (Geneva), Jer. xxxviii. 4, Neh. vi. 9.
1854. Pusey, Lect. Daniel (1876), 135. The people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah.
3. To enfeeble or decrease the vigor of (the mind, etc.).
1536. Primer Eng. & Lat., Dirige (Rouen), 133. My spyryte god wotte is wekenyd wonders sore.
1683. Burnet, trans. More’s Utopia, 88. Unless Age has weakned his Understanding.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1768), VI. 217. When peoples minds are weakened by a sense of their own infirmities.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xii. His consciousness came back; but the mind was weakened and its functions were impaired.
4. To lessen (authority, influence, power, credit), † to lower the value of (something); † to impoverish (an estate).
1530. Palsgr., 770/1. Their power is waykenned: leur pouuoyr est affoyblié or infermé.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 155. There can no greater plage inuade a commen wealth, than what time thauthoritie of lawes is weakened and disolued.
1612. Two Noble K., V. iv. A Steed … a black one, owing Not a hayr worth of white, which some will say Weakens his price.
1618–20. Essex Archd. Bk. Depositions (MS.), 21 b. He … nowe found his estate much weakned and impaired sithence the makinge of the said will.
1639. Du Verger, trans. Camus’ Admir. Events, 6. Her Father Venon … had much weakned his estate in drawing his deare friend out of prison.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 1002. Weakning the Scepter of old Night.
1673. Temple, Observ. United Prov., viii. 251. Because the loss of every small Outwork does not only weaken the Number, but sink the Courage of the Garrison within.
1706. E. Ward, Wooden World Diss. (1708), 7. Such a Prostitution of his Presence, he thinks, weakens his Authority.
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time (1766), II. 71. While the witnesses were weakening their own credit.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1768), VIII. 215. Which must weaken the influences of their good works.
1776. Adam Smith, W. N., III. ii. I. 467. That the power, and consequently the security of the monarchy, may not be weakened by division, it must descend entire to one of the children.
1847. G. Harris, Ld. Chanc. Hardwicke, I. iii. 245. The witness may also be made to weaken his own credit, by the account which he admits of himself, or of his character; [etc.].
1885. ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ Valerie’s Fate, iii. The slight difference of age between herself and those she taught somewhat weakened her authority.
5. To reduce the strength of (a body of men) in numbers or fighting power; to render (a position) less secure.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 129 b. What tyme the one parte was thus weakened, the Anabaptistes doe chouse newe senatours, all of their owne faction.
1600. Hakluyt, Voy., III. 228. Considering how in number we were diminished, and in strength greatly weakned, both by reason of our sicknesse and also of the number that were dead.
1617. Moryson, Itin., II. 111. Imagining that Tyrone … would not have … any minde to … hinder his retreate when he should have weakened his forces by that Plantation [of a garrison].
1698. Jer. Collier, Immor. Stage, i. 5. Such Licentious Discourse tends … to weaken the Defences of Virtue.
1760. Cautions & Advices to Officers of Army, 171. If you should be sent on a Party, observe this Precaution yourself; but let them not be too strong, lest you weaken your main Body.
1860. Löwenthal, Morphy’s Games Chess, 114. This move, however, weakens the K, B’s P., which immediately becomes the focus of Black’s attack.
1875. Gossip, Chess-player’s Man., 846. Black would gain a move, but weaken his position.
6. To render weaker in resources, authority, political or military power, or the like.
1568. Bible (Bishops’), Isa. xiv. 12. O Lucifer … Howe hast thou gotten a fall euen to the grounde, which didst weaken the nations?
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxxvi. § 6. As long as their amitie with God continued,… nothing could weaken them but Apostasie.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xvii. (1904), 116. So now do Cities and Kingdomes … endeavour as much as they can, to subdue, or weaken their neighbours.
1673. Temple, Observ. United Prov., i. 17. Both Philip and his Son … found themselves a Match for France, then much weakned, as well by the late wars of England, as the Factions of their Princes.
1713. Addison, Cato, II. iii. Let us not weaken still the weaker side, By our divisions.
1727. De Foe, Engl. Tradesm. (1732), I. vi. 67. As they [sc. those adventures] very rarely add to his credit, so if they lessen the man’s stock, they weaken him in the main, and he must at last faint under it.
1853. Newman, Hist. Sk. (1873), II. I. vi. 137. They took every means to weaken and annoy the very men whom they had invited.
1864. Bryce, Holy Rom. Emp., viii. (1875), 129. He [Otto] is commonly said to have wished to weaken the aristocracy by raising up rivals to them in the hierarchy.
1887. Field, 3 Dec., 862/1. The Old Harrovians were now greatly weakened by the enforced retirement of Rendall.
1915. J. W. Headlam, Hist. Twelve Days, iii. 83. Serbia would certainly have been humbled and weakened.
7. To render less efficacious.
1639. Saltmarshe, Policy, 301. Perseverance preserves and advances that grace which relapses weaken and loose.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 309, ¶ 16. An ordinary Poet would indeed have spun out so many Circumstances to a great Length, and by that means have weakned, instead of illustrated, the principal Fable.
1833. Scott, Quentin D., xxxiii. I … swore … upon another fragment of the true cross which I got from the Grand Seignior, weakened in virtue, doubtless, by sojourning with infidels.
1877. Tennyson, Harold, V. i. Let not my strong prayer Be weaken’d in thy sight.
b. To lessen or destroy the strength of (an argument, a case, etc.); to render (a probability) less likely.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., I. iii. 195. Aiax … sets Thersites A slaue,… To match vs in comparisons with durt, To weaken and discredit our exposure.
1644. J. Maxwell, Sacro-sanca Reg. Maj., 46. This weakeneth no wayes our argument.
1796. H. Hunter, trans. St. Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), I. 166. This concession no more weakens the probability of the hydraulic cause, which I apply to it, than that of the principle of the attraction of the heavenly bodies, which [etc.].
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xx. IV. 527. They well knew that an inquiry could not strengthen their case, and might weaken it.
1886. J. B. Mayor, Engl. Metre, 76. This would very much weaken, if not entirely destroy, the evidence in favour of such feet.
c. To render (faith, resolve, conviction) weaker.
1848. Mrs. Gaskell, Mary Barton, xii. Don’t let my being an unbelieving Thomas weaken your faith.
8. To render (a material thing) less strong or more liable to fracture.
1827. Faraday, Chem. Manip., ix. (1842), 242. A hole … will appear before the filter is finished; or if not, it will be so weakened as to be unable to bear a quantity of fluid without breaking.
1857. Dempsey, Archit. Pract., 51. Closers must never be allowed except in the quoins; where they necessarily must occur, in order not to weaken the work by cutting those bricks which show on both faces.
1910. J. Bartlett, in Encycl. Brit., V. 387/1. The timbers are held together with a spike. In this way they are not weakened.
1914. M. Barrett, Footpr. Anc. Scot. Ch., i. 36. This weakened the central tower, which fell with a crash in 1688.
9. To reduce the intensity of (a color, sound, fire).
1683. Salmon, Doron Med., II. 378. Then weaken the fire, and draw off a strong cinnamon water.
1733. School of Miniature, 34. In working thereon with Green, it constantly weakens the Red which had first been laid on.
1791. W. Hamilton, Berthollet’s Dyeing, II. 143. This weakens the colour of the madder.
1805. Nicholson’s Jrnl. Nat. Philos. (80), XI. 129. Both sounds grew weaker in proportion as I retired from the striking point; but that transmitted by the stone was weakened much more rapidly than that transmitted through the air.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 531. The oxygen … acts upon the colouring particles; it combines with them, and weakens their colour.
1876. Tait, Rec. Adv. Phys. Sci., ix. 220. The atmosphere might merely have weakened the various kinds of sunlight.
b. Phonetics. To reduce in force of utterance.
1863. Benfey, Sansk. Gram., § 187. 153. Many verbs, as in conjugational derivations, are weakened … by rejecting final or penultimate nasals.
1869. J. Peile, Grk. & Lat. Etymol., 124. As for example when α in Greek is weakened to ι.
1874. A. J. Ellis, E. E. Pronunc., IV. 1282. In the first case the vowel is strengthened, in the latter weakened.
1877. Sweet, Primer of Phonetics, § 273 (1902), 95. There is a distinct tendency to weaken the stress of the last syllable of a syllable-group. Ibid. (1888), Hist. Engl. Sounds, 186. In drawen the w was probably soon weakened into an u. Ibid. (1908), Sounds of English, 51. The falling diphthongs weaken their second elements, so that they are no longer full i, u.
10. Card-games. To lessen the strength of (one’s hand, etc.).
1742. Hoyle, Whist (1746), 25. Whereas if you had trumped one of your Adversaries best Cards, you had so weakened your Hand, as probably not to make more than five Tricks without your Partner’s Help.
1862. ‘Cavendish,’ Whist (1864), 47. You weaken a suit by discarding from it, and lessen the number of long cards you might otherwise establish.
11. To render (market prices, a market) less firm.
1875. Economist, 2 Jan., 20/1. Stocks being quite small, the increased receipts do not have much effect as yet in weakening prices.
1883. Manch. Exam., 26 Nov., 4/2. Advices from Manchester have tended to weaken the cotton market.
II. intr. 12. To grow or become weak or weaker.
1541. R. Copland, Guydon’s Quest. Chirurg., O j. It shuld be daunger of to moche resolucyon and that the strength shuld weyken.
1594. R. Ashley, trans. Loys le Roy, 81 b. By transporting the principal forces, and riches, from Rome to Bizantium, diuiding of the Empire into the East and West; they weakned much.
1605. Shaks., Lear, I. iv. 248. His Notion weakens.
1607. Rowlands, Guy Warw., 32. The Emperor … with new forces gave a new assault, Knowing the City could not be relieved, And then their strength would weaken by default.
1733. School of Miniature, 34. With the same Mixture form all the Shades, adding White as they weaken.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., etc., II. 202. While o’er the meadow’s little fluttering rill The twittering sunbeam weakens cool and dim.
1855. Browning, Old Pict. Florence, vi. Wherever an outline weakens and wanes.
1876. J. Ellis, Caesar in Egypt, 151. The body weakens, but the soul is strong.
1884. Howells, in Harper’s Mag., Dec., 123/2. These hydraulic elevators weaken sometimes, and can’t go any further.
1886. Hardy, Mayor Casterbr., I. xviii. 224. Mrs. Henchard was weakening visibly [in health].
1920. Times Lit. Suppl., 23 Sept., 621/4. The plot weakens a little towards the end.
b. (orig. U.S.) To take a less firm attitude, to recede from a standpoint, to give way.
1876. ‘Mark Twain,’ Tom Sawyer, xxvii. Don’t you ever weaken, Huck, and I won’t.
1882. Bret Harte, Flip, ii. ‘Go ’long. Dad, you’re talking silly!’ The old man weakened.
1890. Boston (Mass.) Jrnl., 13 Sept., 73. A man whom he took for an accomplice weakened when the first child was to be taken and exposed the scheme.
1899. Westm. Gaz., 2 Dec., 2/2. The Church will indeed suffer an immense loss of moral prestige if she now weakens on this subject.
Hence Weakened ppl. a.
1548. Elyot’s Dict., Attenuatus,… appayred, weakened, diminished.
1577. Grange, Golden Aphrod., G iv b. The fountayne Granus giueth strength vnto the weakened bone.
1594. Selimus, 157. My sonnes … May take occasion of my weakned age, And rise in rebell armes against my state.
1694. Atterbury, Serm., Isa. lx. 22 (1726), I. 130. When a Warlike and Savage Race of Men … set upon a dissolute, divided, and weakned Enemy.
1797. Jane Austen, Sense & Sensib., xxix. An aching head, a weakened stomach, and a general nervous faintness.
1869. J. Peile, Grk. & Lat. Etymol., 159. The French u is a similar example of weakened articulation.
1870. Jevons, Elem. Logic, xvi. 140. They are said to have a weakened conclusion because the conclusion is particular.
1874. A. J. Ellis, E. E. Pronunc., IV. 1284. In point of fact this ([char.]) is a ‘weakened’ (u) reduced to (o).
1893. Liddon, Life Pusey, I. xiii. 305. The proposed change, in Pusey’s eyes, involves at least a weakened recognition of that duty [of propagating religious truth].
