faint (fainter comparative) (faintest superlative) (faints plural & 3rd person present) (fainting present participle) (fainted past tense & past participle )
1 adj A faint sound, colour, mark, feeling, or quality has very little strength or intensity.
usu ADJ n
He became aware of the soft, faint sounds of water dripping..., He could see faint lines in her face..., There was still the faint hope deep within him that she might never need to know.
faintly adv usu ADV after v, also ADV adj
(=slightly)
He was already asleep in the bed, which smelled faintly of mildew..., She felt faintly ridiculous.
2 adj A faint attempt at something is one that is made without proper effort and with little enthusiasm.
ADJ n
Caroline made a faint attempt at a laugh..., A faint smile crossed the Monsignor's face and faded quickly...
faintly adv ADV after v
John smiled faintly and shook his head.
3 verb If you faint, you lose consciousness for a short time, especially because you are hungry, or because of pain, heat, or shock.
(=pass out)
She suddenly fell forward on to the table and fainted... V
I thought he'd faint when I kissed him. V
Faint is also a noun., n-count oft in a N
She slumped to the ground in a faint.
4 adj Someone who is faint feels weak and unsteady as if they are about to lose consciousness. v-link ADJ Other signs of angina are nausea, sweating, feeling faint and shortness of breath.
faint-hearted , fainthearted
1 adj If you describe someone or their behaviour as faint-hearted, you mean that they are not very confident and do not take strong action because they are afraid of failing.
This is no time to be faint-hearted...
2 If you say that something is not for the faint-hearted, you mean that it is an extreme or very unusual example of its kind, and is not suitable for people who like only safe and familiar things.
not for the faint-hearted phrase usu v-link PHR
It's a film about a serial killer and not for the faint-hearted.
