a. [ Compar. Fainter superl. Faintest. ] [ OE. feint, faint, false, faint, F. feint, p. p. of feindre to feign, suppose, hesitate. See Feign, and cf. Feint. ] 1. Lacking strength; weak; languid; inclined to swoon; as, faint with fatigue, hunger, or thirst. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Wanting in courage, spirit, or energy; timorous; cowardly; dejected; depressed; as, “Faint heart ne'er won fair lady.” Old Proverb. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Lacking distinctness; hardly perceptible; striking the senses feebly; not bright, or loud, or sharp, or forcible; weak; as, a faint color, or sound. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Performed, done, or acted, in a weak or feeble manner; not exhibiting vigor, strength, or energy; slight; as, faint efforts; faint resistance. [ 1913 Webster ]

The faint prosecution of the war. Sir J. Davies. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To cause to faint or become dispirited; to depress; to weaken. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

It faints me to think what follows. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Fainted; p. pr. & vb. n. Fainting. ] 1. To become weak or wanting in vigor; to grow feeble; to lose strength and color, and the control of the bodily or mental functions; to swoon; -- sometimes with away. See Fainting, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hearing the honor intended her, she fainted away. Guardian. [ 1913 Webster ]

If I send them away fasting . . . they will faint by the way. Mark viii. 8. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To sink into dejection; to lose courage or spirit; to become depressed or despondent. [ 1913 Webster ]

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. Prov. xxiv. 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To decay; to disappear; to vanish. [ 1913 Webster ]

Gilded clouds, while we gaze upon them, faint before the eye. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of fainting, or the state of one who has fainted; a swoon. [ R. ] See Fainting, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

The saint,
Who propped the Virgin in her faint. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Wanting in courage; depressed by fear; easily discouraged or frightened; cowardly; timorous; dejected. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fear not, neither be faint-hearted. Is. vii. 4.

-- Faint"-heart`ed*ly, adv. -- Faint"-heart`ed*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Syncope, or loss of consciousness owing to a sudden arrest of the blood supply to the brain, the face becoming pallid, the respiration feeble, and the heat's beat weak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fainting fit, a fainting or swoon; syncope. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Slightly faint; somewhat faint. -- Faint"ish*ness, n. [1913 Webster]

a. Timorous; feeble-minded. [ Obs. ] “A fainting, silly creature.” Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a faint, weak, or timidmanner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The state of being faint; loss of strength, or of consciousness, and self-control. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Want of vigor or energy. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Feebleness, as of color or light; lack of distinctness; as, faintness of description. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Faint-heartedness; timorousness; dejection. [ 1913 Webster ]

I will send a faintness into their hearts. Lev. xxvi. 36. [ 1913 Webster ]