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# weakness

«weakness» in Mova's school dictionary: **the state of not being strong in body: «weakness in her…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (weakness — uncountable; a weakness, weaknesses)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Weakness is the state of not being strong in body: «weakness in her legs». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#m1)

2) A weakness is a part of something or someone that is not good or strong enough: «Spelling is my weakness». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#m2)

3) A weakness for something means you like it very much and find it hard to resist: «a weakness for chocolate». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In school, pupils think about their strengths and weaknesses so they know what to practise. In health lessons, sudden weakness can be a sign of illness and needs an adult's help. In stories, every hero or villain has a weakness (Superman and kryptonite, Achilles and his heel). In engineering, a weakness in a bridge or wall is where it could break. Phrases: «strengths and weaknesses», «a weakness for», «a sign of weakness».

### examples

- Spelling is my weakness, but I'm getting better. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#x1)
- Write down your strengths and weaknesses. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#x2)
- Kryptonite is Superman's weakness. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#x3)
- Gran has a weakness for cake. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#x4)
- Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#x5)
- The engineer found a weakness in the wall. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#x6)
- The illness caused weakness in his arms. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#x7)
- It was not long, however, before he had cause to regret his weakness. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/#x8)

### note

Plural: weaknesses. From «weak» + -ness. Opposite: strength. Asking for help, or crying, is not weakness.

### In the corpora

- [Saying "I was wrong" is a strength, not a weakness.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/36-big-feelings-in-big-people/19/)
- [Saying no to a risky dare, like a jump you are not ready for, is a sensible choice, not a weakness.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/366-sam-is-scared-fear-is-normal/24/)
- [Telling a trusted adult is not weakness; it brings in someone with the power to stop the trouble.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/21/)
- [That isn't weakness; it's how brains work.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/402-nightmares-and-scary-pictures/20/)
- [Being polite to a rival who wins, saying «well done», is a sign of strength, not weakness.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/471-the-kid-who-has-it-in-for-you/32/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «weakness» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/weakness/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.