feeble
feeble
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "feeble" is /ˈfiːbəl/.
Syllable 1 (fee-): /ˈfiː/
/f/: The 'f' sound (voiceless labiodental fricative), made by pushing air between your top teeth and bottom lip.
/iː/: The long 'ee' sound (close front unrounded vowel), as in "see" or "meet."
Syllable 2 (-ble): /bəl/
/b/: The 'b' sound (voiced bilabial plosive), made by stopping and releasing air with your lips.
/əl/: A "syllabic l" sound (dark l). This is a combination of a schwa sound (like the 'a' in "about") and an 'l' sound, where the 'l' itself forms the nucleus of the syllable. It sounds like the "ul" in "bubble."
Word Form Variations
Adjective: feeble
Comparative: feebler
Superlative: feeblest
Noun: feebleness
Adverb: feebly
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adjective
feeble
Lacking physical strength or energy; noticeably weak.
Synonyms: weak, frail, delicate, puny, fragile, infirm
Antonyms: strong, robust, powerful, vigorous, sturdy
Lacking force, effectiveness, or impact; faint or unconvincing.
Synonyms: weak, ineffective, inadequate, paltry, poor, lame (as in an excuse)
Antonyms: effective, convincing, strong, persuasive, forceful
(Rare or archaic) Lacking mental or intellectual power; dim-witted.
Synonyms: simple, weak-minded (Note: This usage is often considered offensive today).
Antonyms: intelligent, bright, sharp, clever
Examples of Use
In Books and Literature
To describe physical weakness: In Bram Stoker's Dracula, the character Jonathan Harker, describing his declining health while imprisoned, writes in his journal: "I am very weak, and periods of unconsciousness recur... my heart beats feebly." (Stoker, Dracula)
To describe weak light or sound: "The moon provided only a feeble light, barely illuminating the path through the dense woods."
In Newspapers and News Reporting
In political analysis: "Critics of the new policy called it a feeble attempt to address a complex problem, arguing that it lacked the necessary funding and enforcement." (The Guardian, October 2024)
In economic reporting: "The country's economic recovery remains feeble, with consumer spending barely growing and unemployment ticking up slightly." (Financial Times, September 2024)
In sports journalism: "The team’s offense put up a feeble effort, failing to score a single point in the second half."
In Online Publications and Reviews
In technology reviews: "While the display is bright, the built-in speaker is feeble, producing thin, weak audio that is easily drowned out by background noise." (CNET, May 2024)
In-movie or book critiques: "The villain's motivation was based on the feeblest of pretexts, making his grand plan feel unbelievable and hollow."
In Entertainment (Film, TV, Games)
In medical dramas: A doctor assessing a patient in critical condition might say, "His pulse is feeble and thready; we need to resuscitate."
In fantasy or science fiction: A powerful antagonist will often taunt the hero by saying, "Your feeble powers are no match for me!" or "Do you really think that feeble attack could harm me?"
In General Public Discourse and Everyday Speech
Describing an illness: "I'm still feeling a bit feeble after recovering from the flu; I don't have much energy."
Describing a poor excuse: "Saying you missed the meeting because your alarm was 'too quiet' is a pretty feeble excuse."
Describing a weak effort: "He made a feeble attempt to clean the garage, but it looks like he just moved the boxes from one side to the other."
10 Famous Quotes Using Feeble
I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king. (Elizabeth I)
Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature, but he is a thinking reed. (Blaise Pascal)
Superstition is the religion of feeble minds. (Edmund Burke)
A feeble body weakens the mind. (Jean-Jacques Rousseau)
What a distressing contrast there is between the radiant intelligence of the child and the feeble mentality of the average adult. (Sigmund Freud)
'Tis not enough to help the feeble up, but to support them after. (William Shakespeare)
Nothing turns out to be so oppressive and unjust as a feeble government. (Edmund Burke)
My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind. (Albert Einstein)
A feeble executive implies a feeble execution of the government. (Alexander Hamilton)
Great souls have wills; feeble ones have only wishes. (Chinese Proverb)
Etymology
The word feeble traveled through a few languages and changed its meaning slightly, starting with the act of crying.
Latin Root (The Start): The word's earliest ancestor is the Latin verb flēre, which means "to weep" or "to cry."
Latin Adjective: From flēre came the Latin adjective flēbilis. This word didn't mean "weak" at first; it meant "lamentable," "sad," or "pitiable"—literally, "something to be wept over."
Old French (The Shift): This Latin word passed into Old French, where it became "feble" (you can really hear the similarity!). In French, the meaning shifted. If a person or thing is in a "pitiable" or "lamentable" state, it's often because they are "miserable," "wretched," or "lacking strength." This is where the word started to mean "weak."
Middle English (The Arrival): "Feeble" was adopted into English from French around the 1200s. By the time it entered English, it already had its modern meaning.
The first known use of "feeble" in English (spelled feble) was in the 13th century, and it meant exactly what it means today: "lacking in physical strength" or "weak."
Interestingly, the Old French feble had a variant, floible, which also came into English and gave us the word foible, meaning a minor weakness or eccentricity in someone's character.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Feeble
Phrases Using "Feeble"
A feeble attempt
A feeble excuse
A feeble voice (or whisper)
A feeble pulse
A feeble glimmer of light
Feeble-minded
Feeling old and feeble
A feeble effort
A feeble constitution
A feeble punch
Idioms for a Similar Effect (Meaning Weak or Ineffective)
Weak as a kitten
On its last legs
A weak link (in the chain)
A lame excuse
A paper tiger
(To be) all skin and bone
(To not have) a leg to stand on
Running on fumes
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of feeble from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
