frail

views updated May 23 2018

frail / frāl/ • adj. (of a person) weak and delicate: a frail voice she looked frail and vulnerable. ∎  easily damaged or broken; fragile or insubstantial: the balcony is frail the frail Russian economy. ∎  weak in character or morals.DERIVATIVES: frail·ly / ˈfrā(l)lē/ adv.frail·ness n.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

frail

views updated May 29 2018

frail2 morally or physically weak (XIII in frelnes); liable to break XIV. — OF. fraile, frele (mod. frêle) :- L. fragilis FRAGILE.
So frailty XIV.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

Frail

views updated May 23 2018

Frail

a rush basket, hence, the quantity it could contain, ranging from 30 to 76 Ibs.

Examples: frail of currants, 1836; of figs, 1382; of raisins, 1420; of sprats, 1618.

Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms

frail

views updated Jun 08 2018

frail A rush basket for raisins, figs, etc.; also a quantity of raisins, usually about 75 lb (34 kg).

A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition DAVID A. BENDER

frail

views updated Jun 27 2018

frail1 rush basket for figs, raisins, etc. XIII. ME. fraiel — OF., of unkn. orig.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

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