a. [f. FAINT a. + -ISH.]
1. † a. Rather weak or feeble. Obs. b. Affected with a feeling somewhat like that of fainting. Also of the feeling itself.
1667. H. Stubbe, in Phil. Trans., II. 501. Neither does all that sweat make us faintish.
1683. Tryon, Way to Health, 82. Those Cattel that feed on Grass are weak and faintish in comparison of those that re fed with Hay and Corn.
1767. Gooch, Treat. Wounds, I. 224. He continued faintish for some days, complaining of great pain in the would, and was seized with a diarrhæa.
1834. Landor, Exam. Shaks., Wks. 1846, II. 267/2. I wax faintish at the big squat man.
1848. J. H. Newman, Loss & Gain, III. ii. (1853), 288. Charles had a faintish feeling come over him; somewhat such as might beset a man on hearing a call for pork-chops when he was sea-sick.
1856. Lever, Martins of Cro’ M., 128. A pale hue spread over her features like a qualm of faintish sickness.
2. Rather indistinct, hardly perceptible.
1711. Nereides, 35. The Water-Lillies are a faintish sweet.
1713. Rowe, Jane Shore, V. i. Upon her Cheek a faintish Flush was spread.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), V. i. 4. Then in a faintish, but angry voice, ‘begone from my door.’
1767. Ehret, in Phil. Trans., LVII. 114. The young leaves … are of a faintish green.
1866. Carlyle, E. Irving, in Remin. (1881), 268. To the Louvre … got rather faintish good of the pictures there.
