Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A minor weakness or failing of character.
  • noun The weaker section of a sword blade, from the middle to the tip.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Feeble; weak.
  • noun That part of the blade of a sword which is included between the middle and the point. Formerly also feeble and faible.
  • noun A special weakness of character; a failing; a weak point; a fault of a not very serious kind.
  • noun Synonyms Infirmity, imperfection, defect, fault.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective obsolete Weak; feeble.
  • noun A moral weakness; a failing; a weak point; a frailty.
  • noun The half of a sword blade or foil blade nearest the point; -- opposed to forte.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective obsolete Weak.
  • noun A quirk, idiosyncrasy, or mannerism; unusual habit or way (usage is typically plural), that is slightly strange or silly.
  • noun fencing Part of a sword between the middle and the point, weaker than the forte.
  • noun A weakness or failing of character.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual
  • noun the weaker part of a sword's blade from the forte to the tip

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Obsolete French foible, weak point of a sword, weak, from Old French feble, weak; see feeble.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

(1640-50) From Early Modern French foible ("feeble") (contemporary French faible).

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Examples

Comments

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  • In fencing, the weak part of the blade, nearest the tip.

    February 6, 2007

  • Faiblesse oblige.

    I've always wanted to write that, and now I have.

    February 27, 2009

  • It appEARS you only typed it. Proper written evidence shall be furnished to the Chancellor of Scribery by the close of business today in order to proceed with claim verification.

    February 27, 2009

  • So what's your point, big EARS?

    February 27, 2009

  • Holy hyperactive desert fleas, Foxman! Do my EARS look big in this?!

    February 27, 2009

  • Only from an upshot angle.

    February 27, 2009