a. [ Compar. Heavier superl. Heaviest. ] [ OE. hevi, AS. hefig, fr. hebban to lift, heave; akin to OHG. hebig, hevig, Icel. höfigr, höfugr. See Heave. ] 1. Heaved or lifted with labor; not light; weighty; ponderous; as, a heavy stone; hence, sometimes, large in extent, quantity, or effects; as, a heavy fall of rain or snow; a heavy failure; heavy business transactions, etc.; often implying strength; as, a heavy barrier; also, difficult to move; as, a heavy draught. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Not easy to bear; burdensome; oppressive; hard to endure or accomplish; hence, grievous, afflictive; as, heavy yokes, expenses, undertakings, trials, news, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

The hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod. 1 Sam. v. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

The king himself hath a heavy reckoning to make. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sent hither to impart the heavy news. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

Trust him not in matter of heavy consequence. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Laden with that which is weighty; encumbered; burdened; bowed down, either with an actual burden, or with care, grief, pain, disappointment. [ 1913 Webster ]

The heavy [ sorrowing ] nobles all in council were. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

A light wife doth make a heavy husband. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Slow; sluggish; inactive; or lifeless, dull, inanimate, stupid; as, a heavy gait, looks, manners, style, and the like; a heavy writer or book. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whilst the heavy plowman snores. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Of a heavy, dull, degenerate mind. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Neither [ is ] his ear heavy, that it can not hear. Is. lix. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Strong; violent; forcible; as, a heavy sea, storm, cannonade, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Loud; deep; -- said of sound; as, heavy thunder. [ 1913 Webster ]

But, hark! that heavy sound breaks in once more. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Dark with clouds, or ready to rain; gloomy; -- said of the sky. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Impeding motion; cloggy; clayey; -- said of earth; as, a heavy road, soil, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. Not raised or made light; as, heavy bread. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. Not agreeable to, or suitable for, the stomach; not easily digested; -- said of food. [ 1913 Webster ]

11. Having much body or strength; -- said of wines, or other liquors. [ 1913 Webster ]

12. With child; pregnant. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Heavy artillery. (Mil.) (a) Guns of great weight or large caliber, esp. siege, garrison, and seacoast guns. (b) Troops which serve heavy guns. --
Heavy cavalry. See under Cavalry. --
Heavy fire (Mil.), a continuous or destructive cannonading, or discharge of small arms. --
Heavy metal (Mil.), large guns carrying balls of a large size; also, large balls for such guns. --
Heavy metals. (Chem.) See under Metal. --
Heavy weight, in wrestling, boxing, etc., a term applied to the heaviest of the classes into which contestants are divided. Cf. Feather weight (c), under Feather. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Heavy is used in composition to form many words which need no special explanation; as, heavy-built, heavy-browed, heavy-gaited, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To make heavy. [ Obs. ] Wyclif. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Heavily; -- sometimes used in composition; as, heavy-laden. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having the heaves. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Mil.) Wearing heavy or complete armor; carrying heavy arms. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Clumsy; awkward. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. same as ham-fisted.
Syn. -- bumbling, bungling, butterfingered, ham-fisted, ham-handed, handless, left-handed. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. unjustly harsh or domineering; as, incensed at the government's heavy-handed economic policies.
Syn. -- harsh, roughshod. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Dull; stupid. “Gross heavy-headed fellows.” Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. feeling or affected by sorrow or unhappiness.
Syn. -- blue, sad. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. burdened by cares.
Syn. -- care-laden. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. bearing a heavy load; as, the heavy-laden trucks wore deep ruts in the unpaved road.
Syn. -- burdened, laden, weighed down. [ WordNet 1.5 ]