Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Weak in body or mind, especially from old age or disease. synonym: weak.
- adjective Not strong or stable; shaky.
- adjective Archaic Lacking firmness of will, character, or purpose; irresolute.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To weaken; enfeeble.
- To make less firm or certain; render doubtful, questionable, or dubious.
- Not firm, stable, or strong; lacking stability or solidity; faltering; feeble: as, an infirm support; an infirm judgment.
- Specifically Not sound in health; impaired in health or vitality; enfeebled; weak: as, infirm in body or constitution.
- Voidable; obnoxious to legal objection that may destroy apparent efficacy.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Not firm or sound; weak; feeble
- adjective Weak of mind or will; irresolute; vacillating.
- adjective Not solid or stable; insecure; precarious.
- transitive verb obsolete To weaken; to enfeeble.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective
Weak orill , not in good health. - adjective
insecure ;irresolute - adjective
frail ;unstable - verb To
contradict , to provideproof that something is not.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective lacking bodily or muscular strength or vitality
- adjective lacking firmness of will or character or purpose
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
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Examples
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Now I read that being old and infirm is no bar to voting Obama, not even having advanced Alzheimers is a bar.
Archive 2008-11-01 Not a sheep 2008
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Remote monitoring service will benefit the long-term infirm
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Remote monitoring service will benefit the long-term infirm
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I also want to identify with those who will be most adversely affected by the closures, namely the infirm and the elderly.
Archive 2008-07-01 2008
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And Gates is frail and infirm, which is another justification for saying “elderly.”
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I also want to identify with those who will be most adversely affected by the closures, namely the infirm and the elderly.
Post Office petition 2008
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They found many amusing things, but the care of the sick and the infirm was the first duty, and they had many willing helpers.
The Wonder Island Boys: Treasures of the Island Roger Thompson Finlay
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But there's a big difference between "elderly" and "infirm" - as the 70-year-old woman on the spin bike next to mine would quickly point out.
NYT > Home Page By PHILIP GALANES 2011
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While the real flu is very likely to claim the lives of the young, weak, and infirm, which is a tragedy, the Swine Flu is much more likely to make them ill for three-to-four days, after which they will recover.
neweurasia.net 2009
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Other franchises advised to mind their Ps and Qs due to the infirm are the Chicago Bulls
FOXSports.com News 2008
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