Faint (?), a. [Compar. Fainter (-?r); superl. Faintest.] [OE. faint, feint, false, faint, F. feint, p.p. of feindre to feign, suppose, hesitate. See Faign, and cf. Feint.]

1.

Lacking strength; weak; languid; inclined to swoon; as, faint with fatigue, hunger, or thirst.

2.

Wanting in courage, spirit, or energy; timorous; cowardly; dejected; depressed; as, "Faint heart ne'er won fair lady."

Old Proverb.

3.

Lacking distinctness; hardly perceptible; striking the senses feebly; not bright, or loud, or sharp, or forcible; weak; as, a faint color, or sound.

4.

Performed, done, or acted, in a weak or feeble manner; not exhibiting vigor, strength, or energy; slight; as, faint efforts; faint resistance.

The faint prosecution of the war. Sir J. Davies.

 

© Webster 1913.


Faint, n.

The act of fainting, or the state of one who has fainted; a swoon. [R.] See Fainting, n.

The saint, Who propped the Virgin in her faint. Sir W. Scott.

 

© Webster 1913.


Faint, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fainted; p. pr. & vb. n. Fainting.]

1.

To become weak or wanting in vigor; to grow feeble; to lose strength and color, and the control of the bodily or mental functions; to swoon; -- sometimes with away. See Fainting, n.

Hearing the honor intended her, she fainted away. Guardian.

If I send them away fasting . . . they will faint by the way. Mark viii. 8.

2.

To sink into dejection; to lose courage or spirit; to become depressed or despondent.

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. Prov. xxiv. 10.

3.

To decay; to disappear; to vanish.

Gilded clouds, while we gaze upon them, faint before the eye. Pope.

 

© Webster 1913.


Faint (?), v. t.

To cause to faint or become dispirited; to depress; to weaken.

[Obs.]

It faints me to think what follows. Shak.

 

© Webster 1913.

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