English Reference
Idiom idiom

weaker vessel


A woman; women collectively.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

In older stories, men often called women the weaker vessel.

CONTEXTUAL

The author used the term weaker vessel to describe the female characters in his historical novel.

COMPLEX

While the phrase weaker vessel reflects outdated social attitudes, it remains a common reference point in studies of historical literature and gender roles.


Related idioms4entries
  1. 01

    bring it weak

    To fail to accomplish an accomplishable task or to make an attempt at less than maximum effort; to "half-ass" or "fake the funk".

  2. 02

    broken vessel

    A person who is destroyed or forgotten, or who feels flawed or broken.

  3. 03

    weak sister

    A person who is cowardly or indecisive.

  4. 04

    weak tea

    Weak or feeble arguments, efforts, or proposals.

Last updated August 10, 2026