Weight /(?)/

Weight

n.
  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.
  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.
    For sorrow, like a heavy-hanging bell, Once set on ringing, with his own weight goes.
  3. Hence, pressure; burden; as, the weight of care or business.
    For the public all this weight he bears.
    [He] who singly bore the world's sad weight.
  4. Importance; power; influence; efficacy; consequence; moment; impressiveness; as, a consideration of vast weight.
    In such a point of weight, so near mine honor.
  5. A scale, or graduated standard, of heaviness; a mode of estimating weight; as, avoirdupois weight; troy weight; apothecaries' weight.
  6. A ponderous mass; something heavy; as, a clock weight; a paper weight.
    A man leapeth better with weights in his hands.
  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.
  8. The resistance against which a machine acts, as opposed to the power which moves it. (Mech.) [Obs.]

Phrases & Compounds
Atomic weight
See under Atomic, and cf. Element.
Dead weight
See under Dead, Feather, etc.
Weight of observation
a number expressing the most probable relative value of each observation in determining the result of a series of observations of the same kind.

Weight

v. t.

imp. & p. p. Weighted; p. pr. & vb. n. Weighting

  1. To load with a weight or weights; to load down; to make heavy; to attach weights to; as, to weight a horse or a jockey at a race; to weight a whip handle.
    The arrows of satire, . . . weighted with sense.
  2. To assign a weight to; to express by a number the probable accuracy of, as an observation. See Weight of observations, under Weight. (Astron. & Physics)
  3. To load (fabrics) as with barite, to increase the weight, etc. (Dyeing)
  4. to assign a numerical value expressing relative importance to (a measurement), to be multiplied by the value of the measurement in determining averages or other aggregate quantities; as, they weighted part one of the test twice as heavily as part 2. (Math.)