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# weakness

noun (weakness — uncountable; a weakness, weaknesses)

«weakness» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Weakness is the state of not being strong in body: «weakness in her legs». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#m1)
2. A weakness is a part of something or someone that is not good or strong enough: «Spelling is my weakness». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#m2)
3. A weakness for something means you like it very much and find it hard to resist: «a weakness for chocolate». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#m3)

### In the lessons

In school, pupils think about their strengths and weaknesses so they know what to practise. In health lessons, sudden weakness can be a sign of illness and needs an adult's help. In stories, every hero or villain has a weakness (Superman and kryptonite, Achilles and his heel). In engineering, a weakness in a bridge or wall is where it could break. Phrases: «strengths and weaknesses», «a weakness for», «a sign of weakness».

### Examples

- Spelling is my weakness, but I'm getting better. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#x1)
- Write down your strengths and weaknesses. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#x2)
- Kryptonite is Superman's weakness. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#x3)
- Gran has a weakness for cake. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#x4)
- Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#x5)
- The engineer found a weakness in the wall. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#x6)
- The illness caused weakness in his arms. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#x7)
- It was not long, however, before he had cause to regret his weakness. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#x8)

### Note

Plural: weaknesses. From «weak» + -ness. Opposite: strength. Asking for help, or crying, is not weakness.

## In Jewish tradition

In Sefer Yetzirah it is one of the pairs of opposites that the double letters stand for.

**Interpretation.** The book teaches that the seven double letters each have a hard and a soft sound, and each stands for a pair of opposites such as strength and weakness.

### Examples

- The \[33\] seven double letters, בגד כפרת with a duplicity of pronunciation, aspirated and unaspirated, namely: ,תּת ,רּר ,פּפ ,כּכ ,דּד ,גּג ,בּב serve as a model of softness and hardness, strength and weakness. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/weakness/#x1)
- And I say: 'This is my weakness, that the right hand of the Most High could change. (Writings PSA.77.11, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/weakness/#x2)

### Note

Plural: weaknesses. From «weak» + -ness. Opposite: strength. Asking for help, or crying, is not weakness.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «weakness» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«weakness» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/weakness.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «weakness» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/weakness/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«weakness» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/weakness.html) on Mova free.