| English Dictionary |
FAINT
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
| IPA (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does faint mean?
• FAINT (noun)
The noun FAINT has 1 sense:
1. a spontaneous loss of consciousness caused by insufficient blood to the brain
Familiarity information: FAINT used as a noun is very rare.
• FAINT (adjective)
The adjective FAINT has 6 senses:
1. deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
2. lacking clarity or distinctness
3. lacking strength or vigor
4. weak and likely to lose consciousness
5. indistinctly understood or felt or perceived
6. lacking conviction or boldness or courage
Familiarity information: FAINT used as an adjective is common.
• FAINT (verb)
The verb FAINT has 1 sense:
1. pass out from weakness, physical or emotional distress due to a loss of blood supply to the brain
Familiarity information: FAINT used as a verb is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
A spontaneous loss of consciousness caused by insufficient blood to the brain
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural events
Synonyms:
deliquium; faint; swoon; syncope
Hypernyms ("faint" is a kind of...):
loss of consciousness (the occurrence of a loss of the ability to perceive and respond)
Derivation:
faint (pass out from weakness, physical or emotional distress due to a loss of blood supply to the brain)
faint (weak and likely to lose consciousness)
| Declension: comparative and superlative |
Superlative: faintest
Sense 1
Meaning:
Deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
Synonyms:
faint; weak
Context example:
a weak pulse
Similar:
perceptible (capable of being perceived by the mind or senses)
Derivation:
faintness (the quality of being dim or lacking contrast)
faintness (barely audible)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Lacking clarity or distinctness
Synonyms:
dim; faint; shadowy; vague; wispy
Context example:
a few wispy memories of childhood
Similar:
indistinct (not clearly defined or easy to perceive or understand)
Derivation:
faintness (the quality of being dim or lacking contrast)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Lacking strength or vigor
Synonyms:
faint; feeble
Context example:
a feeble voice
Similar:
weak (wanting in physical strength)
Derivation:
faintness (the property of being without strength)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Weak and likely to lose consciousness
Synonyms:
faint; light; light-headed; lightheaded; swooning
Context example:
light-headed from lack of sleep
Similar:
ill; sick (affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function)
Derivation:
faint (a spontaneous loss of consciousness caused by insufficient blood to the brain)
faintness (a feeling of faintness and of being ready to swoon)
Sense 5
Meaning:
Indistinctly understood or felt or perceived
Context example:
haven't the faintest idea
Similar:
indistinct (not clearly defined or easy to perceive or understand)
Sense 6
Meaning:
Lacking conviction or boldness or courage
Synonyms:
faint; faint-hearted; fainthearted; timid
Context example:
faint heart ne'er won fair lady
Similar:
cowardly; fearful (lacking courage; ignobly timid and faint-hearted)
Derivation:
faintness (the trait of lacking boldness and courage)
| Conjugation: |
... he / she / it faints Past simple: fainted
Past participle: fainted
-ing form: fainting
Sense 1
Meaning:
Pass out from weakness, physical or emotional distress due to a loss of blood supply to the brain
Classified under:
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care
Synonyms:
Hypernyms (to "faint" is one way to...):
black out; pass out; zonk out (lose consciousness due to a sudden trauma, for example)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
Derivation:
faint (a spontaneous loss of consciousness caused by insufficient blood to the brain)
Context examples
I had just time to blow on my police-whistle, and then I must have fainted, for I knew nothing more until I found the policeman standing over me in the hall.
(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
I am not hysterical, nor given to fainting.
(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
I really think that I should have fainted if I had not gone out.
(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
That was the time he needed dinners, and went weak and faint for lack of them and lost weight from sheer famine.
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
This gave me some faint hopes of relief, although I was not able to imagine how it could be brought about.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
Taurus, are you fainting with excitement yet? I am—for you!
(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)
As for its inventor, beyond an increasing deafness and the movement of the lips growing fainter and fainter, there had been little change in his condition for a week.
(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)
Her faint became a profound slumber.
(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)
"I haven't the faintest idea," said the Tin Woodman, and the Lion shook his shaggy mane and looked thoughtful.
(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)
When the true bride heard that, it hurt her so much that her heart was almost broken, and she fell fainting to the ground.
(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)
| Learn English with... Proverbs |
"Don't sell eggs in the bottom of hens" (Breton proverb)
"Pick the lesser of the two evils." (Arabic proverb)
"Honesty is the best policy." (Czech proverb)