weak-minded en · ADJ
Etymology
From weak + minded. Probably related to weak (“mentally or intellectually deficient”).
Meanings
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Having or exhibiting a mind that lacks steadfastness, resoluteness or especially judgment; not strong-minded.
Stupid, she told herself. Vain, weak-minded, and stupid.
2009, J. V. Jones, A Cavern of Black Ice:Biden may be old, but he is far from the debilitated, weak-minded caricature drawn of him by right-wing media.
2024 March 8, David Horsey, “‘Uncommitted’ voters have to face political reality”, in Seattle Times:But police said he was arrogant and manipulative, while Naiyahmi Yasharahyalah was weak-minded and gullible.
2024 December 5, Katie Thompson, Annie Delaney, “The fictional kingdom of couple who buried son in garden”, in BBC News:I have lost count of how many times I have heard that Christianity is a crutch for weak-minded people, who can't make it in life without faith.
2012, Ray Comfort, Comfort Food, →ISBN:Plato sympathizes with the desire to influence weak-minded people. However, rather than directly controlling the minds of such people by the power of his own will, he uses the power of his thought to construct a myth designed to control the beliefs of the weak-minded by appealing to their imagination.
2013, Kevin S. Decker, Jason T. Eberl, William Irwin, Star Wars and Philosophy: More Powerful than You Can Possibly Imagine, →ISBN:Jabba the Hutt: I told you not to admit him. / Luke Skywalker: I must be allowed to speak. / Bib Fortuna: He must be allowed to speak. / Jabba the Hutt: You weak-minded fool! He's using an old Jedi mind trick! / Luke Skywalker: You will bring Captain Solo and the wookie to me. / Jabba the Hutt: Your mind powers will not work on me, boy.
1983 May 25, 23:15 from the start, in Return of the Jedi (Star Wars), episode VI (Science Fiction), Lucasfilm Ltd., →OCLC:
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(historical, offensive) Mentally or intellectually deficient; feeble-minded; half-witted.
Altogether thirty-four out of 146 'criminal lunatics' admitted to the asylum between 1852 and 1890 were described as weak-minded or imbecile by the asylum staff.
2004, William F. Bynum, Roy Porter, Michael Shepherd, The Anatomy of Madness: Essays in the History of Psychiatry, Volume 3, →ISBN, page 279:[…] they have been looked upon as unstable and the result has been weak-minded progeny.
1907, George Henry Savage, The increase of insanity: the Lumleian lectures […] , London: Cassell and Company, Limited, page 37:Their mother is insane ; father somewhat weak-minded.
1899, Alexander Johnson, “Concerning a form of degeneracy”, in Albion W. Small et al., editors, American Journal of Sociology, volume 4, Chicago: University of Chicago, page 331:
Deriveds
weak-mindedness · weak-mindedly
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
Relateds
mentally deficient person · ignorant · insane
Synonyms
Translations (8)
ka ჭკუასუსტი (foolish or ignorant) · fi typerä (foolish or ignorant) · fi heikko (characterized by weakness) · ka ჭკუასუსტი (mentally deficient) · sa दुर्मति (foolish or ignorant) · fi heikkomielinen (mentally deficient) · fi heikkotahtoinen (weak-willed) · de willensschwach (weak-willed)