weight

Syllabification: (weight)

Pronunciation: /wāt/

Definition of weight

1a body’s relative mass or the quantity of matter contained by it, giving rise to a downward force; the heaviness of a person or thing:he was at least 175 pounds in weight
Physics the force exerted on the mass of a body by a gravitational field. Compare with mass.
the quality of being heavy:as he came upstairs the boards creaked under his weight
a unit or system of units used for expressing how much an object or quantity of matter weighs.
a piece of metal known to weigh a definite amount and used on scales to determine how heavy an object or quantity of a substance is.
the amount that a jockey is expected or required to weigh, or the amount that a horse can easily carry.
the surface density of cloth, used as a measure of its quality.

2a heavy object, especially one being lifted or carried.
a heavy object used to give an impulse or act as a counterweight in a mechanism.
a heavy object propelled by a shot-putter.
(weights) blocks or discs of metal or other heavy material used in weightlifting or weight training.

3the ability of someone or something to influence decisions or actions:a recommendation by the committee will carry great weight
the importance attached to something:individuals differ in the weight they attach to various aspects of a job
Statistics a factor associated with one of a set of numerical quantities, used to represent its importance relative to the other members of the set.

[with object]

1hold (something) down by placing a heavy object on top of it:a mug half filled with coffee weighted down a stack of papers
make (something) heavier by attaching a heavy object to it, especially so as to make it stay in place:the jugs were covered with muslin veils weighted with colored beads

2attach importance or value to:speaking, reading, and writing should be weighted equally in the assessment
(be weighted) be planned or arranged so as to put a specified person, group, or factor in a position of advantage or disadvantage:the balance of power is weighted in favor of the government
Statistics multiply the components of (an average) by factors to take account of their importance.

Phrases

put on (or lose) weight: become fatter (or thinner).
throw one's weight around: informal be unpleasantly self-assertive.
throw one's weight behind: informal use one’s influence to help support.
the weight of the world: used in reference to a very heavy burden of worry or responsibility:he continues to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders
be a weight off one's mind: come as a great relief after one has been worried.
worth one's weight in gold: (of a person) exceedingly useful or helpful.

Old English (ge)wiht, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wicht and German Gewicht. The form of the word has been influenced by weigh¹

Spell weight with the e before the i, then -ght.

Definition of weight in the British & World English dictionary