Forms: see the vb.; also 5 weyng(e. [f. WEIGH v.1 + -ING1.]
1. The action of lifting, raising or hoisting. Also with up, † out, etc.
1485. Naval Acc. Hen. VII. (1896), 27. Paid … for the weying of an Anker … ijs. Ibid. (1497), 171. The brekyng vp of the dokke hede at Portesmouth weyng vt of the piles & shorys.
1545. in Hooker, Life Sir P. Carew (1857), 131. My Lorde Admyrall … told me that he had a good hope of the waying upright of the Mary Rose this afternone or to-morrow.
a. 1687. Sir W. Petty, in T. H[ale], Acc. New Invent. (1691), 119. The … weighing up of a Ship.
1755. in Sixth Rep. Dep. Kpr. Rec., App. II. 128. A Windlass, for the more easy weighing a Ship’s Anchor at Sea.
2. The action or process of ascertaining the weight of an object.
1430. Coventry Leet Bk., 134. The ouersight of the weyng, and the sealyng of weightes.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 520/2. Weyynge, wythe whytys, ponderacio, libracio.
a. 1500. in Arnolde’s Chron. (1502), 36. Whyinge appartayneth not vnto tronage.
1720. Lond. Gaz., No. 5869/2. Owners of Hops are to give Notice … of the … Hour of bagging and weighing.
1827. Faraday, Chem. Manip., ii. (1842), 65. The method of double weighing … invented by Borda.
1842. Lover, Handy Andy, i. Certain weighing of soap, and tobacco was going forward.
1857. Miller, Elem. Chem., Org., 24. A second weighing gives the quantity of metallic lead.
1884. Ld. Kelvin, in S. P. Thompson, Life, xix. (1910), II. 801. I shall be greatly interested to hear more of your silver weighings.
b. concr. (See quot.)
1828. Webster, Weighing 2. As much as is weighed at once; as, a weighing of beef.
3. fig. Balancing in the mind, pondering, considering.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 364. And errour in weiyng of þis love makiþ many fals weddings.
1560. trans. Fisher’s Godlie Treat. Prayer, H 6 b. Ouerrunnyng a multitude of wordes with small consideration or weyghing of them.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit. (1637), 636. After mature deliberation and weighing of the matter.
1660. Jer. Taylor, Duct. Dubit., III. v. rule 8 § 12. The truth … is determinable by a just weighing of all that which very many wise Men have said, being put together.
1827. J. J. Powell’s Devises (ed. 3), II. 151. If the ‘weighing of inconveniences’ were to be made on every particular will, the relative situation of the heir and devisee being thrown into the scale.
1848. Mrs. Gaskell, Mary Barton, xv. Will’s love had no blushings, no downcast eyes, no weighing of words.
1885. Law Rep., 15 Q. B. D. 137. The statute requires that there should be a real inquiry, a real weighing and sifting of evidence.
4. (Downward) pressure.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VII. lv. (1495), r iv b. This skynne is deeled other slakyd somtyme … by to grete weyghte & weyenge dounwarde of the other membres.
5. Comb., as weighing-cage, -fee, -house, -room, -scales, -yard; weighing-engine, -machine, an apparatus (e.g., a combination of levers, a spring-balance) for weighing heavy bodies; † weighing-post, a post on a race-course, indicating the place appointed for the weighing of the riders.
1819. Rees, Cycl., *Weighing-Cage,… an open box or cage, by means of which any small animal, such as a pig, sheep, calf,… may be … expeditiously weighed…. It is constructed on the principle of the common steel-yard.
1796. Repert. Arts & Manuf., VI. 77. The main or long lever of the *weighing-engine.
1861. Act 24 & 25 Vict., c. 97 § 34. Any House, Building, or Weighing Engine erected for the better Collection, Ascertainment, or Security of any such Toll.
1858. Rules of Jockey Club, § 30. The *weighing fee for plates and stakes is 10s. each horse, and 10s. extra for the winner.
1819. Rees, Cycl., *Weighing-House, a building furnished with a dock, and conveniences for gauging or ascertaining the tonnage of boats that are to be used on a canal.
1829. Tytler, Hist. Scot., vi. II. 155. It would be necessary to have some experienced person to attend in the weighing-house upon the part of the king, to superintend the annual payments.
1863. Miss Braddon, Aurora Floyd, xiii. John was … tumbling over small book-men in his agitation; dashing from the ring to the weighing-house.
1796. Repert. Arts & Manuf., VI. 75 (page-heading), Patent for an Improvement in *Weighing-Machines.
1844. H. Stephens, Bk. Farm, II. 343. The Weighing-machine is an important article of the barn furniture.
1864. Mrs. Carlyle, Lett., III. 231. There is a weighing-machine at our green-grocer’s.
1688. Lond. Gaz., No. 2312/4. Every Horse shall be shewn that day three weeks before the Race, at the *Weighing Post of Caythorp Course.
1734. Cheny, List Horse-Matches, 22. Small-hopes came in first, but the Rider alighting off before he came to the weighing Post, the Gelding was deem’d distanc’d.
1838. Civil Engin. & Arch. Jrnl., I. 116/2. There is an office for the clerk of the market, and a *weighing-room.
c. 1450. Test. Ebor. (Surtees), III. 99. j par *weyengscales de ligno, iiij d.
1891. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Sydney-side Sax., xii. [After the race] Possie rode up to the *weighing yard with me.
