8 VERB If you weight things, you give them different values according to how important or significant they are. □ [V n] …a computer program which weights the different transitions according to their likelihood. □ [V -ed] Responses were weighted by region to more accurately reflect the population. .
9 N‑VAR If something is given a particular weight , it is given a particular value according to how important or significant it is. □ [+ on ] The scientists involved put different weight on the conclusions of different models.
10 N‑UNCOUNT If someone or something gives weight to what a person says, thinks, or does, they emphasize its significance. □ The fact that he is gone has given more weight to fears that he may try to launch a civil war.
11 N‑UNCOUNT If you give something or someone weight , you consider them to be very important or influential in a particular situation. □ [+ on ] This might have been avoided had ministers placed more weight on scientific advice.
12 → see also dead weight , weighting
13 PHRASE If a person or their opinion carries weight , they are respected and are able to influence people. □ That argument no longer carries as much weight. □ He still carries considerable weight in medical circles.
14 PHRASE If you say that someone or something is worth their weight in gold , you are emphasizing that they are so useful, helpful, or valuable that you feel you could not manage without them. [EMPHASIS ] □ Any successful manager is worth his weight in gold.
15 PHRASE If you pull your weight , you work as hard as everyone else who is involved in the same task or activity. □ He accused the team of not pulling their weight.
16 a weight off your mind → see mind ➊
▸ weight down PHRASAL VERB If you weight something down , you put something heavy on it or in it in order to prevent it from moving easily. □ [V n P ] Put some tins on top to weight it down. COLLOCATIONS weight NOUN 1
noun + weight : body, birth; target
adjective + weight : healthy, ideal, normal; considerable, excess, extra
verb + weight : bear, carry; gain, lose, reduce, shed; maintain
weight|ed /we I t I d/ ADJ A system that is weighted in favour of a particular person or group is organized so that this person or group has an advantage. □ The current electoral law is still heavily weighted in favour of the ruling party.
weight|ing /we I t I ŋ/ (weightings )
1 N‑COUNT A weighting is a value which is given to something according to how important or significant it is. □ The tests and teacher assessments have equal weighting.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A weighting is an advantage that a particular group of people receives in a system, especially an extra sum of money that people receive if they work in a city where the cost of living is very high. □ I get an extra £2,700-a-year London weighting.
3 → see also weight
weight|less /we I tləs/
1 ADJ Something that is weightless weighs nothing or seems to weigh nothing. □ Photons have no mass–they are weightless. □ …weightless silk curtains.
2 ADJ A person or object is weightless when they are in space and the earth's gravity does not affect them, so that they float around. □ Helen described life in a weightless environment during her period in space. ● weight|less|ness N‑UNCOUNT
weight|lifter /we I tl I ftə r / (weightlifters ) N‑COUNT A weightlifter is a person who does weightlifting.
weight|lifting /we I tl I ft I ŋ/ also weight-lifting N‑UNCOUNT Weightlifting is a sport in which the competitor who can lift the heaviest weight wins.
wei ght train|ing N‑UNCOUNT Weight training is a kind of physical exercise in which people lift or push heavy weights with their arms and legs in order to strengthen their muscles.
weighty /we I ti/ (weightier , weightiest )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe something such as an issue or a decision as weighty , you mean that it is serious or important. [FORMAL ] □ Surely such weighty matters merit a higher level of debate?
2 ADJ You use weighty to describe something, especially a book, that is heavy or heavier than you would expect. [LITERARY ] □ Simon lifted a weighty volume from the shelf.
weir /w I ə r / (weirs )
1 N‑COUNT A weir is a low barrier which is built across a river in order to control or direct the flow of water.
2 N‑COUNT A weir is a wooden fence which is built across a stream in order to create a pool for catching fish.
weird /w I ə r d/ (weirder , weirdest ) ADJ If you describe something or someone as weird , you mean that they are strange. [INFORMAL ] □ He's different. He's weird. □ In the 70s, we did a lot of creative things but also some weird things. □ It must be really weird to be rich.
weir|do /w I ə r doʊ/ (weirdos ) N‑COUNT If you describe someone as a weirdo , you disapprove of them because they behave in an unusual way which you find difficult to understand or accept. [INFORMAL , mainly SPOKEN , DISAPPROVAL ]
welch /we lʃ/ (welches , welching , welched ) also welsh VERB If someone welches on a deal or an agreement, they do not do the things they promised to do as part of that deal or agreement. [INFORMAL ] □ [V + on ] He welched on his agreement with the club that he would play for them in February.