Found 1 items, similar to light weight.
English → English (gcide) Definition: Light weight Light \Light\, a. [Compar. Lighter (l[imac]t"[~e]r); superl. Lightest.] [OE. light, liht, AS. l[=i]ht, le['o]ht; akin to D. ligt, G. leicht, OHG. l[=i]hti, Icel. l[=e]ttr, Dan. let, Sw. l["a]tt, Goth. leihts, and perh. to L. levis (cf. Levity), Gr. 'elachy`s small, Skr. laghu light. [root]125.] 1. Having little, or comparatively little, weight; not tending to be the center of gravity with force; not heavy. [1913 Webster] These weights did not exert their natural gravity, . . . insomuch that I could not guess which was light or heavy whilst I held them in my hand. --Addison. [1913 Webster] 2. Not burdensome; easy to be lifted, borne, or carried by physical strength; as, a light burden, or load. [1913 Webster] Ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. --Matt. xi. 29, 30. [1913 Webster] 3. Easy to be endured or performed; not severe; not difficult; as, a light affliction or task. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster] Light sufferings give us leisure to complain. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] 4. Easy to be digested; not oppressive to the stomach; as, light food; also, containing little nutriment. [1913 Webster] 5. Not heavily armed; armed with light weapons; as, light troops; a troop of light horse. [1913 Webster] 6. Not encumbered; unembarrassed; clear of impediments; hence, active; nimble; swift. [1913 Webster] Unmarried men are best friends, best masters . . . but not always best subjects, for they are light to run away. --Bacon. [1913 Webster] 7. Not heavily burdened; not deeply laden; not sufficiently ballasted; as, the ship returned light. [1913 Webster] 8. Slight; not important; as, a light error. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 9. Well leavened; not heavy; as, light bread. [1913 Webster] 10. Not copious or heavy; not dense; not inconsiderable; as, a light rain; a light snow; light vapors. [1913 Webster] 11. Not strong or violent; moderate; as, a light wind. [1913 Webster] 12. Not pressing heavily or hard upon; hence, having an easy, graceful manner; delicate; as, a light touch; a light style of execution. [1913 Webster] 13. Easy to admit influence; inconsiderate; easily influenced by trifling considerations; unsteady; unsettled; volatile; as, a light, vain person; a light mind. [1913 Webster] There is no greater argument of a light and inconsiderate person than profanely to scoff at religion. --Tillotson. [1913 Webster] 14. Indulging in, or inclined to, levity; wanting dignity or solemnity; trifling; gay; frivolous; airy; unsubstantial. [1913 Webster] Seneca can not be too heavy, nor Plautus too light. --Shak. [1913 Webster] Specimens of New England humor laboriously light and lamentably mirthful. --Hawthorne. [1913 Webster] 15. Not quite sound or normal; somewhat impaired or deranged; dizzy; giddy. [1913 Webster] Are his wits safe? Is he not light of brain ? --Shak. [1913 Webster] 16. Easily bestowed; inconsiderately rendered. [1913 Webster] To a fair semblance doth light faith annex. --Spenser. [1913 Webster] 17. Wanton; unchaste; as, a woman of light character. [1913 Webster] A light wife doth make a heavy husband. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 18. Not of the legal, standard, or usual weight; clipped; diminished; as, light coin. [1913 Webster] 19. Loose; sandy; easily pulverized; as, a light soil. [1913 Webster] Light cavalry, Light horse (Mil.), light-armed soldiers mounted on strong and active horses. Light eater, one who eats but little. Light infantry, infantry soldiers selected and trained for rapid evolutions. Light of foot. (a) Having a light step. (b) Fleet. Light of heart, gay, cheerful. Light oil (Chem.), the oily product, lighter than water, forming the chief part of the first distillate of coal tar, and consisting largely of benzene and toluene. Light sails (Naut.), all the sails above the topsails, with, also, the studding sails and flying jib. --Dana. Light sleeper, one easily wakened. Light weight, a prize fighter, boxer, wrestler, or jockey, who is below a standard medium weight. Cf. Feather weight , under Feather. [Cant] To make light of, to treat as of little consequence; to slight; to disregard. To set light by, to undervalue; to slight; to treat as of no importance; to despise. [1913 Webster] Weight \Weight\, n. [OE. weght, wight, AS. gewiht; akin to D. gewigt, G. gewicht, Icel. v[ae]tt, Sw. vigt, Dan. v[ae]gt. See Weigh, v. t.] [1913 Webster] 1. The quality of being heavy; that property of bodies by which they tend toward the center of the earth; the effect of gravitative force, especially when expressed in certain units or standards, as pounds, grams, etc. [1913 Webster] Note: Weight differs from gravity in being the effect of gravity, or the downward pressure of a body under the influence of gravity; hence, it constitutes a measure of the force of gravity, and being the resultant of all the forces exerted by gravity upon the different particles of the body, it is proportional to the quantity of matter in the body. [1913 Webster] 2. The quantity of heaviness; comparative tendency to the center of the earth; the quantity of matter as estimated by the balance, or expressed numerically with reference to some standard unit; as, a mass of stone having the weight of five hundred pounds. [1913 Webster] For sorrow, like a heavy-hanging bell, Once set on ringing, with his own weight goes. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 3. Hence, pressure; burden; as, the weight of care or business. “The weight of this said time.” --Shak. [1913 Webster] For the public all this weight he bears. --Milton. [1913 Webster] [He] who singly bore the world's sad weight. --Keble. [1913 Webster] 4. Importance; power; influence; efficacy; consequence; moment; impressiveness; as, a consideration of vast weight. [1913 Webster] In such a point of weight, so near mine honor. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 5. A scale, or graduated standard, of heaviness; a mode of estimating weight; as, avoirdupois weight; troy weight; apothecaries' weight. [1913 Webster] 6. A ponderous mass; something heavy; as, a clock weight; a paper weight. [1913 Webster] A man leapeth better with weights in his hands. --Bacon. [1913 Webster] 7. A definite mass of iron, lead, brass, or other metal, to be used for ascertaining the weight of other bodies; as, an ounce weight. [1913 Webster] 8. (Mech.) The resistance against which a machine acts, as opposed to the power which moves it. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Atomic weight. (Chem.) See under Atomic, and cf. Element. Dead weight, Feather weight, Heavy weight, Light weight , etc. See under Dead, Feather, etc. Weight of observation (Astron. & Physics), a number expressing the most probable relative value of each observation in determining the result of a series of observations of the same kind. [1913 Webster] Syn: Ponderousness; gravity; heaviness; pressure; burden; load; importance; power; influence; efficacy; consequence; moment; impressiveness. [1913 Webster]