Search Results

Entry Found...

One entry found.

1 heavy

Pronounced:

/ˈhɛvi/Listen to audio

Function:

adjective

Inflected forms:

heavi·er; heavi·est

Meaning:

1 a : having great weight : difficult to lift or move Is that box too heavy for you to lift? No, it's not very heavy. a heavy suitcase heavy pots and pans The truck was carrying a heavy load.opposite light b : large in size and weight The man was six feet tall with a heavy build. a tall, heavy [=(less politely) fat] man
2 : having a particular weight How heavy is it? [=how much does it weigh?]
3 a : greater in amount or degree than usual Turnout for the election is expected to be heavy. We got caught in heavy traffic. b : strong heavy perfume heavy winds c : great in amount Heavy rains caused flooding in the area. heavy bleeding/sweating She was wearing sunglasses and heavy makeup. The storm caused heavy damage to the building. The company is facing heavy losses this quarter. We suffered heavy casualties. [=many deaths or injuries] a day of heavy fighting d : difficult to accept or bear They are paying a heavy price for their mistakes. It is a heavy burden for one person to bear. : harsh or severe The stress has taken a heavy toll on his health. heavy fines/penalties e : great in degree or effect He came under heavy attack/fire for his comments. She is the heavy favorite to win. the country's heavy reliance on oil (chiefly Brit) He caught a heavy cold.opposite light
4 : involving a lot of physical effort an hour of heavy exercise/exertion Why do I have to do all the heavy work? I hurt my back and couldn't do any heavy lifting.sometimes used figuratively He does all the heavy lifting [=difficult work] while his partner gets the recognition.opposite light
5 : very loud or forceful The song has a heavy beat. There was a heavy knock at the door. heavy footsteps He delivered a heavy blow to his opponent.often used figuratively The new government was dealt a heavy blow.opposite light
6 : important and serious We were having a heavy conversation about our son's future. This is pretty heavy stuff. doing some heavy reading/thinking a heavy thinkeropposite light
7 : difficult to move or lift up because of tiredness My legs became heavier with every step. Her eyelids grew heavy.
8 : dense and thick : having a lot of hair, trees, etc., in a small area He has a heavy beard. The animals have shed their heavy winter coats. areas of forest and heavy brush heavy fog/smoke heavy clay soilopposite light
9 : made of thick material a heavy winter coat heavy blankets
10 : having too much heat, moisture, etc., and not enough fresh air The air was heavy and still. The air in the room was heavy with smoke. the heavy odor of wet dogs
11 a : showing signs of rain or snow sailing in heavy weather a heavy sky heavy clouds b : having large waves heavy seas
12 : deep and loud She let out a heavy sigh. the heavy breathing of a tired runner The phrase heavy breathing is sometimes used in a joking way to refer to sexual activity. a night of heavy breathing
13 a : eating, drinking, or using large amounts of something a heavy eater/drinker/smoker a cook who has a heavy hand with the salt [=who uses too much salt] b : done often and in large amounts heavy alcohol consumption Years of heavy smoking had destroyed her lungs.opposite light
14 a : very rich, dense, or thick fruit in heavy syrup The bread was a little heavy. b : making your stomach feel full heavy desserts a heavy breakfast of pancakes and sausageopposite light
15 a : large and powerful heavy machinery/equipment the army's tanks and heavy artillery He flew heavy bombers in World War II. b of a group of soldiers : having more weapons and armor than other groups heavy infantry/cavalryopposite light
16 of a person's accent : very easy to notice She spoke French/English/German with a heavy [=thick] accent.
heavy date
chiefly US humorous : an important romantic date He has a heavy date tonight.
heavy going
: difficult to do or finish The cold made the race heavy going for many runners. The book is really heavy going at the beginning.
heavy heart
If you have a heavy heart, you are sad. I announced my decision to leave with a heavy heart.
heavy on
: having or using a large amount of (something) His movies are light/low on talk and heavy on action. She tends to be heavy on the salt. [=she uses a lot of salt]
heavy sleeper
: someone who does not wake up easily
heavy with
: carrying or having a large amount of (something) The trees are heavy with fruit. Her comments were heavy with irony.
hot and heavysee 1hot
make heavy weather of
Brit informal : to treat (something) in a way that makes it seem more important or difficult than it really is an actor who makes heavy weather of what should be a simple scene
—heavi·ness noun [noncount] the heaviness of the table [singular] He felt a sudden heaviness [=a feeling of pressure] in his chest.often used figuratively There was a heaviness [=a feeling of sadness] in his heart.
Share this entry:    Share this word with digg Share this word with reddit Share this word with technorati Share this word with del.icio.us Share this word with furl Share this word with stumbleupon Share this word with google Share this word with blinklist Share this word with newsvine Share this word with facebook Share this word with myspace

Link to this page:   
Learn about the book...

Merriam-Webster's

Advanced Learner's Dictionary

It's here! The first learner's dictionary from America's language experts is the perfect resource for teachers and students of English as a second language, with over 100,000 words and phrases, loads of drawings and illustrations, and the most example sentences of any learner's dictionary. It also includes a free eBook download. Learn more here.

Browse the Learner's Dictionary

  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
  4. D
  5. E
  6. F
  7. G
  8. H
  9. I
  10. J
  11. K
  12. L
  13. M
  14. N
  15. O
  16. P
  17. Q
  18. R
  19. S
  20. T
  21. U
  22. V
  23. W
  24. X
  25. Y
  26. Z