Obs. Forms: 5–6 weke, weyk, weik, wayk, Sc. waik, (6 vaik), 6 week, 6–9 weak. [f. WEAK a.]

1

  1.  trans. To make weak or weaker, to weaken or enfeeble. Also fig.

2

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 4737. A strengthe, weyked to stonde vpright [Fr. force enferme], And feblenesse, ful of might.

3

1459.  Paston Lett., I. 444. He … is ryte lowe browt, and sore weykid and feblyd.

4

1502.  Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W.), III. iii. (1506), 156. In weykynge them and dyscouragynge, be it by theyr euyll example or otherwyse.

5

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, IX. x. 50. Nor ȝit the slaw nor febill onwieldy age May walk our spreit, nor mynys our curage.

6

a. 1536.  Tindale, Brief Decl. Sacram. (c. 1550), B v b. All that comme to the sacrament … with the medytacyon to weak the flesh and strenght the Spyrite agaynst her.

7

c. 1560.  A. Scott, Poems (S.T.S.), xxxiv. 14. Ane fowsum appetyte, That strenth of persoun waikis.

8

a. 1635.  Randolph, Poems (1638), 50. It weaks the Braine; it spoiles the memory.

9

1642–7.  H. More, Song of Soul, I. II. lxxx. Which will empair the flesh and weak the knee.

10

1856.  J. Ballantine, Poems, 190. Time hasna dimmed my goshawk ee, Nor weak’d my hand.

11

  absol.  1568.  Skeyne, The Pest (Bannatyne Club), 25. Fasting mundifeis … bot vaikis thair with.

12

  b.  To soak in water, to macerate. Cf. WOKE v. [? After Da. weeken, LG. wêken.]

13

1559.  Morwyng, Evonymus, 10. This herbe … if it be dried and weikte or stiept in wyne a few dayes, then destilled in Balneo Mariæ. Ibid., 72. Newe herbes nede the lesse time, when they are stiept or weekt in wine or other liquor.

14

  2.  intr. To become weaker or less severe, be mitigated.

15

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Troylus, IV. 1144 (Campsall MS.). Somwhat to wayken [Harl. MS. woken] gan þe peyne.

16

  Hence † Weaking vbl. sb.

17

1559.  Morwyng, Evonymus, 67. Maceration, yt is steping or weking, or els infusion, a watring & moistening.

18

1581.  W. S., Exam. Compl., i. 6. Albeit we labour not much with our bodies … yet yee know we labour with our mindes, more to ye weaking of ye same, then by any other bodily exercise we should do. Ibid., ii. 18 b. It may come to ye great desolation and weaking of the strenght of this realme.

19