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Webster 1913 Edition


frailty

frail′ty

(frāl′ty̆)
,
Noun.
;
pl.
frailties
(frāl′tĭz)
.
[OE.
frelete
,
freilte
, OF.
fraileté
, fr. L.
fragilitas
. See
Frail
,
Adj.
, and cf.
Fragility
.]
1.
The condition or quality of being frail, physically, mentally, or morally; frailness; infirmity; weakness of resolution; liableness to be deceived or seduced.
God knows our
frailty
, [and] pities our weakness.
Locke.
Syn. – Frailness; fragility; imperfection; failing.

Webster 1828 Edition


Frailty

FRA'ILTY

, n.
1.
Weakness of resolution; infirmity; liableness to be deceived or seduced.
God knows our frailty, and pities our weakness.
2.
Frailness; infirmity of body.
3.
Fault proceeding from weakness; foible; sin of infirmity; in this sense it has a plural.

Definition 2024


frailty

frailty

English

Noun

frailty (countable and uncountable, plural frailties)

  1. (uncountable) The condition quality of being frail, physically, mentally, or morally; frailness; infirmity; weakness of resolution; liability to be deceived or seduced.
    • 1748. David Hume. Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. § 36, n. 1.
      the limitations and restraints of civil government, and a legal constitution, may be defended, either from reason, which reflecting on the great frailty and corruption of human nature, teaches, that no man can safely be trusted with unlimited authority ;
    • 2011 October 29, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 3 - 5 Arsenal”, in BBC Sport:
      For all their frailty at the back, Arsenal possessed genuine menace in attack and they carved through Chelsea with ease to restore parity nine minutes before half-time. Aaron Ramsey's pass was perfection and Gervinho took the unselfish option to set up Van Persie for a tap-in.
  2. A fault proceeding from weakness; foible; sin of infirmity.

Translations

References

  • frailty in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913