heavy

I. adjective (heavier; -est) Etymology: Middle English hevy, from Old English hefig; akin to Old High German hebīc heavy, Old English hebban to lift — more at heave Date: before 12th century 1. a. having great weight; also characterized by mass or weight <

how heavy is it?

> b. having a high specific gravity ; having great weight in proportion to bulk c. (1) of an isotope having or being atoms of greater than normal mass for that element (2) of a compound containing heavy isotopes 2. hard to bear; specifically grievous, afflictive <

a heavy sorrow

> 3. of weighty import ; serious <

heavy consequences

> 4. deep, profound <

a heavy silence

> 5. a. borne down by something oppressive ; burdened b. pregnant; especially approaching parturition 6. a. slow or dull from loss of vitality or resiliency ; sluggish <

a tired heavy step

> b. lacking sparkle or vivacity ; drab c. lacking mirth or gaiety ; doleful d. characterized by declining prices 7. dulled with weariness ; drowsy 8. greater in quantity or quality than the average of its kind or class: as a. of unusually large size or amount <

a heavy turnout

> <

heavy traffic

> b. of great force <

heavy seas

> c. threatening to rain or snow d. (1) impeding motion (2) full of clay and inclined to hold water e. coming as if from a depth ; loud <

heavy breathing

> f. thick, coarse <

heavy syrup

> g. oppressive <

a heavy odor

> <

heavy weather

> <

rule with a heavy hand

> h. steep, acute i. laborious, difficult <

heavy going

> j. immoderate <

a heavy smoker

> k. more powerful than usual for its kind <

a heavy cavalry

> <

a heavy cruiser

> l. of large capacity or output 9. a. very rich and hard to digest <

heavy desserts

> b. not properly raised or leavened <

heavy bread

> 10. producing goods (as coal, steel, or chemicals) used in the production of other goods <

heavy industry

> 11. a. having stress <

a heavy rhythm

> — used especially of syllables in accentual verse b. being the strongest degree of stress in speech 12. relating to theatrical parts of a grave or somber nature 13. long 9 <

heavy on ideas

> 14. important, prominent <

a heavy politician

> • heaviness noun Synonyms: heavy, weighty, ponderous, cumbrous, cumbersome mean having great weight. heavy implies that something has greater density or thickness than the average of its kind or class <

a heavy child for his age

>. weighty suggests having actual and not just relative weight <

a load of weighty boxes

>. ponderous implies having great weight because of size and massiveness with resulting great inertia <

ponderous elephants in a circus parade

>. cumbrous and cumbersome imply heaviness and bulkiness that make for difficulty in grasping, moving, carrying, or manipulating <

wrestled with the cumbrous furniture

> <

early cameras were cumbersome and inconvenient

>. II. adverb Date: before 12th century in a heavy manner ; heavily III. noun (plural heavies) Date: 1897 1. heavyweight 2 2. a. a theatrical role of a dignified or somber character; also an actor playing such a role b. villain 4 c. villain 5 d. someone or something influential, serious, or important e. elite 1b