# weight

/ˈweɪt/ (US) · /wˈeɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/weight
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. heaviness

noun · CEFR A2

how heavy someone or something is.

For teachers: the measurement of how heavy an object or person is, typically resulting from the force of gravity.

- The doctor checked the baby's weight and height during the visit.
- The shipping company calculates the total cost based on the weight and dimensions of the cargo rather than the distance traveled.

### 2. exercise equipment

noun · CEFR A2

a heavy object that you lift to make your muscles stronger.

For teachers: a heavy object, such as a dumbbell or barbell, used in resistance training to build physical strength.

- He goes to the gym three times a week to lift weights.
- The athlete focused on free weights to improve her stability and core strength before the upcoming competition.

### 3. importance

noun · CEFR B2

the importance or influence that a person or an idea has.

For teachers: the relative importance, influence, or authority attributed to something.

- Her opinion carries a lot of weight in this company.
- The testimony of the expert witness added significant weight to the prosecution's argument, swaying the jury's final decision.

### 4. a burden

noun · CEFR B2

a feeling of pressure or worry that is difficult to deal with.

For teachers: a metaphorical burden or psychological pressure that causes distress or anxiety.

- Finishing the project was a huge weight off my shoulders.
- The weight of responsibility for the entire department's budget began to affect his sleep and general well-being.

### 5. typography

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

how thick or thin the lines of a font are.

For teachers: the thickness of the character strokes in a typeface relative to their height.

- You should use a heavier weight for the headings to make them stand out.
- The designer adjusted the font weight to ensure the text remained legible against the vibrant background of the mobile application.

### 6. large quantity of drugs

noun · CEFR C2 · Slang

a large amount of illegal drugs.

For teachers: a significant quantity of illegal drugs, often specifically referring to a pound or more.

- The police caught the gang moving weight across the border.
- Undercover agents were monitoring the warehouse, suspecting it was being used to distribute weight to local dealers.

### 7. to make heavier

verb · CEFR B2

to add something heavy to an object so it does not move.

For teachers: to attach or add a heavy substance to an object to increase its mass or stability.

- We had to weight the base of the umbrella so it wouldn't blow away.
- The curtains were weighted at the bottom with small lead beads to ensure they hung straight and resisted drafts.

### 8. to adjust statistics

verb · CEFR C1 · Academic · Technical

to give more importance to one part of a group of facts.

For teachers: to assign a mathematical value to a variable to reflect its relative importance in a statistical analysis.

- The survey results were weighted to represent the whole population fairly.
- The researchers weighted the data to account for the underrepresentation of younger participants in the initial telephone survey.

## Examples

- The doctor checked my height and weight.
- The airline staff asked me to place my suitcase on the scale to check its weight before the flight.
- In statistical modeling, each variable is assigned a specific weight to reflect its relative importance in determining the final outcome of the calculation.

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