Definitions

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

  • adjective Lacking strength of character or purpose.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Having weak knees; hence, weak, especially as regards will or de termination: as, a weak-kneed policy or effort.

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

  • adjective Having weak knees; hence, easily yielding; wanting resolution.

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

  • adjective Lacking will power or strength of character; timid.

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

  • adjective lacking will power or resolution

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Rebello also expressed his desire to see a more nationalist party defeat Jean Charest's Liberals, whom he described as weak-kneed when dealing with Ottawa.

    CBC | Top Stories News 2012

  • They can start by acknowledging that temperatures are surging, that weak-kneed politicians have caused U.S. efforts to stagnate, and that it is time for candidates to reassess their positions.

    Heather Taylor-Miesle: The Race That Matters Heather Taylor-Miesle 2011

  • It; s time that Obama stop running scared from weak-kneed conservatives like Will.

    Think Progress » Will: What conservatives truly want are activist judges. 2010

  • Indeed, he would have looked like a weak-kneed fence straddler.

    Latin America 2010

  • As my idea to enroll at LeCoq became a decision that spring, I hadn't anticipated that, come late summer, with the plane ticket purchased and an eleven-month lease signed, an abrupt shift in the exchange rate that ran in favor of the Euro would pull the rug out from under my savings, and leave it weak-kneed and wobbly.

    Five Stops on Line 2, Ch 1: Qalb elouz Jennifer Solheim 2011

  • The "Muslim colonization" of Europe, led by a fifth column of immigrants and asylum seekers -- aided and abetted by multiculturalist-fellow-travelers and colluding weak-kneed politicians, was poised to destroy pristine Norway unless he acted.

    Marcelo M. Suarez-Orozco and Carola Suarez-Orozco: We Are all Norwegians Now Marcelo M. Suarez-Orozco 2011

  • As my idea to enroll at LeCoq became a decision that spring, I hadn't anticipated that, come late summer, with the plane ticket purchased and an eleven-month lease signed, an abrupt shift in the exchange rate that ran in favor of the Euro would pull the rug out from under my savings, and leave it weak-kneed and wobbly.

    Five Stops on Line 2, Ch 1: Qalb elouz Jennifer Solheim 2011

  • They can start by acknowledging that temperatures are surging, that weak-kneed politicians have caused U.S. efforts to stagnate, and that it is time for candidates to reassess their positions.

    Heather Taylor-Miesle: The Race That Matters Heather Taylor-Miesle 2011

  • * If victorious GOP candidates think the Tea Party is going to let them get away with going weak-kneed and being all responsible and moderate next year, they've got another thing coming.

    Happy Hour Roundup Greg Sargent 2010

  • They can start by acknowledging that temperatures are surging, that weak-kneed politicians have caused U.S. efforts to stagnate, and that it is time for candidates to reassess their positions.

    Heather Taylor-Miesle: The Race That Matters Heather Taylor-Miesle 2011

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