adj., faint·er, faint·est.
- Lacking strength or vigor; feeble.
- Lacking conviction, boldness, or courage; timid.
- Lacking brightness: a faint light in the gloom.
- Lacking clarity or distinctness: a faint recollection.
- Likely to fall into a faint; dizzy and weak: felt faint for a moment.
An abrupt, usually brief loss of consciousness, generally associated with failure of normal blood circulation. See synonyms at blackout.
intr.v., faint·ed, faint·ing, faints.
- To fall into a usually brief state of unconsciousness.
- Archaic. To weaken in purpose or spirit.
[Middle English, deceitful, cowardly, from Old French, past participle of feindre, to feign. See feign.]
fainter faint'er n.faintly faint'ly adv.
faintness faint'ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
