faint

/feɪnt/

/feɪnt/

Other forms: fainted; fainting; faintest; fainter; faints; faintingly

Something faint has no courage or vigor. If you suddenly round the corner and see a gang of bullies staring straight at you, chances are you'll feel faint.

Faint comes from the French feindre, for being cowardly or shirking duties. We usually use it to mean without great strength. If you faint, you pass out, from low blood supply to your brain. If you feel faint, you feel weak. Faint also means dim or vague. If you're staring out to sea, you might see the faint outline of an approaching ship. If you really can't remember the answer to something, say you "haven't the faintest idea."

Definitions of faint

1. adjective

   deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
   “a faint outline”

   “the wan sun cast faint shadows”

   “the faint light of a distant candle”

   “a faint hissing sound”

   “a faint aroma”

   synonyms: weak

   perceptible

   capable of being perceived by the mind or senses
2. adjective

   lacking clarity or distinctness
   “only a faint recollection”

   synonyms: dim, shadowy, vague, wispy

   indistinct

   not clearly defined or easy to perceive or understand
3. adjective

   indistinctly understood or felt or perceived
   “a faint clue to the origin of the mystery”

   “haven't the faintest idea”

   synonyms:

   indistinct

   not clearly defined or easy to perceive or understand
4. verb

   pass out from weakness, physical or emotional distress due to a loss of blood supply to the brain
   synonyms: conk, pass out, swoon

   type of:

   black out, pass out, zonk out

   lose consciousness due to a sudden trauma, for example
5. noun

   a spontaneous loss of consciousness caused by insufficient blood to the brain
   synonyms: deliquium, swoon, syncope

   type of:

   loss of consciousness

   the occurrence of a loss of the ability to perceive and respond
6. adjective

   weak and likely to lose consciousness
   “suddenly felt faint from the pain”

   “was sick and faint from hunger”

   synonyms: light, light-headed, lightheaded, swooning

   ill, sick

   affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
7. adjective

   lacking conviction or boldness or courage
   “faint heart ne'er won fair lady”

   synonyms: faint-hearted, fainthearted, timid

   cowardly, fearful

   lacking courage; ignobly timid and faint-hearted
8. adjective

   lacking strength or vigor
   “damning with faint praise”

   “faint resistance”

   synonyms: feeble

   weak

   wanting in physical strength