From Middle English weyen, from Old English wegan, from Proto-West Germanic *wegan, from Proto-Germanic *weganą (“to move, carry, weigh”), from Proto-Indo-European *wéǵʰeti, from *weǵʰ- (“to bring, transport”).
Cognates
Cognate with Scots wey, wee, Dutch wegen, German wiegen, wägen, Danish veje, Norwegian Bokmål veie, Norwegian Nynorsk vega. Doublet of wedge, wagon, way, and vector.
From Middle English weyen, from Old English wegan, from Proto-West Germanic *wegan, from Proto-Germanic *weganą (“to move, carry, weigh”), from Proto-Indo-European *wéǵʰeti, from *weǵʰ- (“to bring, transport”).
Cognates
Cognate with Scots wey, wee, Dutch wegen, German wiegen, wägen, Danish veje, Norwegian Bokmål veie, Norwegian Nynorsk vega. Doublet of wedge, wagon, way, and vector.
Meanings
(transitive) To determine the weight of an object.
(transitive) Often with "out", to measure a certain amount of something by its weight, e.g. for sale.
He weighed out two kilos of oranges for a client.
(figuratively, transitive) To determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object, to evaluate.
He took a long time weighing his options.
You have been weighed in the balance and found wanting.
As they started picking features, customers would carefully weigh the choices, but as decision fatigue set in they'd start settling for whatever the default option was. 2011, Roy F. Baumeister, John Tierney, Willpower, →ISBN, page 103:
(figuratively, intransitive, obsolete) To judge; to estimate.
But ſhe thereof grew proud and inſolent, / That none ſhe worthie thought to be her fere, / But ſcornd them all, that loue vnto her ment; / Yet was ſhe lou’d of many a worthy pere, / Vnworthy ſhe to be belou’d ſo dere, / That could not weigh of worthineſſe aright. 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto VII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], part II (books IV–VI), London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, page 444:
(transitive) To consider a subject.
(copulative, intransitive, stative) To have a certain weight.
I weigh ten and a half stone.
Each half-section of the battery weighs about eight tons, and the two underframes had to be strengthened to take this weight. 1958 June 14, “First Battery Railcars on B.R.”, in Railway Magazine, page 419:
(intransitive) To have weight; to be heavy; to press down.
They only weigh the heavier. 1782, William Cowper, “The Yearly Distress or, Tithing-Time in Essex”, in Poems, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC:
If they ſhall faile, I with mine Enemies
Will triumph o're my perſon, which I waigh not,
Being of thoſe Vertues vacant. 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 228, column 1:
(intransitive) To be considered as important; to have weight in the intellectual balance.
Your vowes to her, and me,[…] / Will euen weigh, and both as light as tales. c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 154, column 1:
I anſwer, this is a good Objection, and ought to weigh with thoſe whoſe Reading is deſign’d for much Talk and little Knowledge, and I have nothing to ſay to it. a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published 1706, →OCLC, § 19, page 62:
(transitive) To raise an anchor free of the seabed.
(intransitive) To weigh anchor.
Towards the euening we wayed, & approaching the ſhoare [...], we landed where there lay a many of baskets and much bloud, but ſaw not a Salvage. 1624, Walter Russell, Anas Todkill, Thomas Momford, “The Accidents that hapned in the Discovery of the Bay of Chisapeack”, in Iohn [i.e., John] Smith, The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: […], London: […] I[ohn] D[awson] and I[ohn] H[aviland] for Michael Sparkes, →OCLC, 3rd booke, page 56:
Here we used to remain until nearly time for slack-water again, when we weighed and made for home. 1841, Edgar Allan Poe, A Descent into the Maelström:
To bear up; to raise; to lift into the air; to swing up.
Weigh the vessel up. 1782, William Cowper, On the Loss of the Royal George:
(obsolete) To consider as worthy of notice; to regard.
Them all, and all that ſhe ſo deare did way,[…] 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book VII, Canto VI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 55, page 358:
Kat. So do not you, for you are a light Wench. / Roſ. Indeed I waigh not you, and therefore light. / Ka. You waigh me not, O that’s you care not for me. c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], page 137, column 1:
Thinke you I weigh this treaſure more than you?
Not all the Gold in Indias welthy armes,
Shall buy the meaneſt ſouldier in my traine. c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:
fr peser (to determine the weight of an object) · el ζυγίζω (to consider a subject) · es desancorar (nautical: to raise an anchor) · ota طارتمق (to consider a subject) · fo lætta (akker) (nautical: to raise an anchor) · be ўзва́жваць (to determine the weight of an object) · de abwägen (to determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object) · ga meáigh (to determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object) · fo viga (to determine the weight of an object) · pt desancorar (nautical: to raise an anchor) · be ўзва́жыць (to determine the weight of an object) · de wiegen (to determine the weight of an object) · ru взве́шивать (to consider a subject) · ru взве́шивать (to weigh out) · is vega (to determine the weight of an object) · pt pesar (to have a certain weight) · sv väga (to have a certain weight) · lis ꓛꓰꓻ (to determine the weight of an object) · hu …… súlyú (to have a certain weight) · cs vážit (to have a certain weight) · ar وَزَنَ (to have a certain weight) · fi (ankkuri) nostaa (nautical: to raise an anchor) · ko 달다 (to determine the weight of an object) · fr peser (to have a certain weight) · hy կշռել (to determine the weight of an object) · es pesar (to determine the weight of an object) · ga meáigh (to weigh out) · de lasten (to weigh on; to be heavy, to press down) · gl pesar (to weigh out) · cs zvednout kotvu (nautical: to raise an anchor) · ru взве́сить (to consider a subject) · eo pesi (to determine the weight of an object) · ru отвешивать (to weigh out) · ja 量る (to determine the weight of an object) · enm weyen (to determine the weight of an object) · fi punnita (to consider a subject) · bg тежа (to have a certain weight) · oc pesar (to determine the weight of an object) · cs zvážit (to determine the weight of an object) · gl pesar (to have a certain weight) · lb weien (to determine the weight of an object) · ro a ridica ancora (nautical: to raise an anchor) · bg тежа (to weigh on; to be heavy, to press down) · ca desancorar (nautical: to raise an anchor) · nrf p'ser (to determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object) · cs vytáhnout kotvu (nautical: to raise an anchor) · gez መዘነ (to determine the weight of an object) · ar وَزَنَ (to determine the weight of an object) · ro avea greutate (to have a certain weight) · ota طارتمق (to determine the weight of an object) · bg претеглям (to determine the weight of an object) · ca pesar (to have a certain weight) · fur pesâ (to determine the weight of an object) · fi puntaroida (to consider a subject) · mn жигнэх (to determine the weight of an object) · fr peser (to determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object) · pt pesar (to determine the weight of an object) · de wiegen (to have a certain weight) · sv väga (upp) (to weigh out) · tl magtimbang (to determine the weight of an object) · ru взве́сить (to weigh out) · dv ކިރަނީ (to determine the weight of an object) · sv väga (to determine the weight of an object) · ca salpar (nautical: to raise an anchor) · gd tomhais (to weigh out) · ja 抜錨する (nautical: to raise an anchor) · ru ве́сить (to have a certain weight) · tt үлчәү (to determine the weight of an object) · ja 重さを計る (to determine the weight of an object) · mi huti (nautical: to raise an anchor) · tr tartmak (to determine the weight of an object) · msk timbang (to determine the weight of an object) · ast pesar (to determine the weight of an object) · igl ñwà (to determine the weight of an object) · sc pesare (to determine the weight of an object) · cs uvážit (to determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object) · uk зва́жувати (to determine the weight of an object) · ast pesar (to have a certain weight) · ru взве́сить (to determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object) · th ชั่ง (to determine the weight of an object) · fr lever l’ancre (nautical: to raise an anchor) · scn pisari (to determine the weight of an object) · enm weyen (to weigh on; to be heavy, to press down) · cmn 稱 /称 (to have a certain weight) · fi mitata (to weigh out) · de abwiegen (to weigh out) · fi punnita (to weigh out) · ja 気に掛ける (to consider a subject) · ca pesar (to determine the weight of an object) · bg оценявам (to determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object) · sk vážiť (to have a certain weight) · pt pesar (to weigh out) · sc pesai (to determine the weight of an object) · mn дэнслэх (to determine the weight of an object) · pl ważyć (to determine the weight of an object) · tr tartmak (to weigh out) · de (schwer) liegen (to weigh on; to be heavy, to press down) · ru взве́сить (to determine the weight of an object) · yo wọ̀n (to determine the weight of an object) · hu …… a súlya (to have a certain weight) · ulw tînaka (to have a certain weight) · sq peshoj (to determine the weight of an object) · cy pwyso (to determine the weight of an object) · el ζυγίζω (to determine the weight of an object) · ro evalua (to determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object) · bg вдигам (nautical: to raise an anchor) · ro cumpăni (to determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object) · enm weyen (to consider a subject) · hu nyom (to have a certain weight) · enm weyen (to have a certain weight) · kw poosa (to determine the weight of an object) · ga meáigh (to determine the weight of an object) · jje ᄃᆞᆯ다 (to determine the weight of an object) · cmn 稱重 /称重 (to have a certain weight) · de hieven (nautical: to raise an anchor) · ru взве́шивать (to determine the weight of an object) · uk ва́жити (to have a certain weight) · de auswiegen (to weigh out) · ota طارتمق (to weigh out) · it pesare (to determine the weight of an object) · fi arvioida (to determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object) · fr peser (to weigh out) · gd tomhais (to determine the weight of an object) · hu mérlegel (to consider a subject) · la expendō (to determine the weight of an object) · ro cântări greu (to have a certain weight) · vec pexar (to have a certain weight) · ru взве́шивать (to determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object) · hy կշռադատել (to consider a subject) · lb weien (to have a certain weight) · te తూగు (to determine the weight of an object) · cmn 稱重 /称重 (to determine the weight of an object) · mi ine taumaha (to determine the weight of an object) · da veje (to have a certain weight) · vi đo (to determine the weight of an object) · fi punnita (to determine the weight of an object) · lmo pesà (to determine the weight of an object) · sq rendoj (to determine the weight of an object) · tr gelmek (to have a certain weight) · mi huhuti (nautical: to raise an anchor) · cy pwyso (to have a certain weight) · de lichten (nautical: to raise an anchor) · sv väga (to determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object) · az çəkmək (to determine the weight of an object) · he שקל (to determine the weight of an object) · enm weyen (to determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object) · enm weyen (to weigh out) · sk vážiť (to determine the weight of an object) · km ថ្លឹង (to determine the weight of an object) · de wägen (to determine the weight of an object) · pt avaliar (to determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object) · bg претеглям (to weigh out) · pl odważyć (to weigh out) · gl pesar (to determine the weight of an object) · mi whakaraupeka (to consider a subject) · nb veie (to determine the weight of an object) · fi punnita (to determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object) · hi जोखना (to determine the weight of an object) · br pouezañ (to determine the weight of an object) · ulw tînaka (to determine the weight of an object) · la trutinor (to determine the weight of an object) · qu llasay (to have a certain weight) · ckb کێشان (to determine the weight of an object) · sk zvážiť (to determine the weight of an object) · ga meáigh (to have a certain weight) · pl ważyć (to have a certain weight) · ro chibzui (to determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object) · nds-de wegen (to determine the weight of an object) · hu kimér (to weigh out) · ga meáigh (to consider a subject) · ka იწონის (to determine the weight of an object) · lzz წონუმს (to determine the weight of an object) · ta வகை (to consider a subject) · nrf p'ser (to have a certain weight) · nrf p'ser (to determine the weight of an object) · hi तौलना (to determine the weight of an object) · cs vážit (to determine the weight of an object) · ro cântări (to weigh out) · de erwägen (to consider a subject) · uk зва́жити (to determine the weight of an object) · es pesar (to have a certain weight) · ja 錨を上げる (nautical: to raise an anchor) · mk тежи (to have a certain weight) · oc pesar (to have a certain weight) · eo pezi (to have a certain weight) · cs navážit (to weigh out) · cs zvážit (to determine the intrinsic value or merit of an object) · fi painaa (to have a certain weight) · ist pazà (to determine the weight of an object) · vec pexare (to determine the weight of an object) · vi cân (to determine the weight of an object) · es levar (nautical: to raise an anchor) · hu lemér (to determine the weight of an object) · nl wegen (to determine the weight of an object) · vec pexar (to determine the weight of an object) · it pesare (to have a certain weight) · la pensō (to determine the weight of an object) · pt levantar âncora (nautical: to raise an anchor) · vec pexare (to have a certain weight) · enm weyen (nautical: to raise an anchor) · be ва́жыць (to have a certain weight) · lis ꓞꓰꓻ (to determine the weight of an object) · ro cântări (to determine the weight of an object) · cs zvážit (to weigh out) · nrf p'ser (to weigh out) · si කිරනවා (to determine the weight of an object)