WEAKEN

weaken

(verb) become weaker; “The prisoner’s resistance weakened after seven days”

weaken

(verb) lessen the strength of; “The fever weakened his body”

weaken, de-escalate, step down

(verb) reduce the level or intensity or size or scope of; “de-escalate a crisis”

dampen, damp, soften, weaken, break

(verb) lessen in force or effect; “soften a shock”; “break a fall”

sabotage, undermine, countermine, counteract, subvert, weaken

(verb) destroy property or hinder normal operations; “The Resistance sabotaged railroad operations during the war”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Verb

weaken (third-person singular simple present weakens, present participle weakening, simple past and past participle weakened)

(transitive) To make weaker or less strong.

(intransitive) To become weaker or less strong.

Source: Wiktionary

Weak"en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Weakened; p. pr. & vb. n. Weakening.]

1. To make weak; to lessen the strength of; to deprive of strength; to debilitate; to enfeeble; to enervate; as, to weaken the body or the mind; to weaken the hands of a magistrate; to weaken the force of an objection or an argument. Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Neh. vi. 9.

2. To reduce in quality, strength, or spirit; as, to weaken tea; to weaken any solution or decoction.

Weak"en, v. i.

Definition: To become weak or weaker; to lose strength, spirit, or determination; to become less positive or resolute; as, the patient weakened; the witness weakened on cross-examination. "His notion weakens, his discernings are lethargied." Shak.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition