weaken : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: weaken	by the DICT Development Group
3 results for weaken
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
weaken v lessen the strength of; "The fever weakened his body" [ant: beef up, fortify, strengthen] become weaker; "The prisoner's resistance weakened after seven days" Antonym(s): strengthen destroy property or hinder normal operations; "The Resistance sabotaged railroad operations during the war" Synonym(s): sabotage, undermine, countermine, counteract, subvert, weaken reduce the level or intensity or size or scope of; "de- escalate a crisis" Synonym(s): de-escalate, weaken, step down Antonym(s): escalate, intensify, step up lessen in force or effect; "soften a shock"; "break a fall" Synonym(s): dampen, damp, soften, weaken, break
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Weaken \Weak"en\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Weakened}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Weakening}.] 1. To make weak; to lessen the strength of; to deprive of strength; to debilitate; to enfeeble; to enervate; as, to weaken the body or the mind; to weaken the hands of a magistrate; to weaken the force of an objection or an argument. Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. --Neh. vi. 9. 2. To reduce in quality, strength, or spirit; as, to weaken tea; to weaken any solution or decoction.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Weaken \Weak"en\, v. i. To become weak or weaker; to lose strength, spirit, or determination; to become less positive or resolute; as, the patient weakened; the witness weakened on cross-examination. [bd]His notion weakens, his discernings are lethargied.[b8] --Shak.