• adj. 微弱的，無力的；虛弱的；薄弱的

來自拉丁語flebilis的拼寫異化詞，呻吟，哭叫，詞源同bleat, blare.

feeble

feeble: [12] Semantically, feeble was originally a close relative of deplorable and lamentable, but over the centuries it has diverged markedly from them. Its ultimate source was Latin flēbilis, a derivative of the verb flēre ‘weep’. In classical times this meant literally ‘worthy of being cried over, lamentable’, but later it came to signify ‘weak’. It passed in this sense into Old French as fleible, which subsequently became feible or feble (source of English feeble), and later still foible (whence English foible [17]) and faible (the modern French form).
=> foible

feeble (adj.)

late 12c., "lacking strength or vigor" (physical, moral, or intellectual), from Old French feble "weak, feeble" (12c., Modern French faible), dissimilated from Latin flebilis "lamentable," literally "that is to be wept over," from flere "weep, cry, shed tears, lament," from PIE *bhle- "to howl" (see bleat (v.)). The first -l- was lost in Old French. The noun meaning "feeble person" is recorded from mid-14c.

1. He gave a feeble shrug and tried to squirm free.

他無力地聳聳肩，扭動(dòng)身體想要掙脫。

來自柯林斯例句

2. The Observer found the play "a feeble rehash of familiar Miller themes"

《觀察家報(bào)》認(rèn)為這部劇“是大家熟悉的米勒式主題的拙劣翻版”。

來自柯林斯例句

3. This is a particularly feeble argument.

這個(gè)論點(diǎn)尤其站不住腳。

來自柯林斯例句

4. a feeble old man

衰弱的老人

來自《權(quán)威詞典》

5. She made a feeble effort to get to school on time.

她努力想按時(shí)趕到學(xué)校,但未成功.

來自《簡(jiǎn)明英漢詞典》