infirmity

«infirmity» in Mova's school dictionary: a physical or mental weakness or illness, especially one… — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 1 sentence of Mova's corpora that use it.

part of speech

noun (an infirmity, infirmities; infirmity — uncountable)

meaning for a pupil

1) (formal) An infirmity is a physical or mental weakness or illness, especially one that comes with old age. tree →

2) Infirmity is the state of being weak or ill for a long time. tree →

sense in the lessons

A formal or old-fashioned word in history, classic stories and the Bible («the infirmities of age»). Today people more often say «illness», «disability» or «frailty». It tells the reader that a character is weak, ill or very old. Phrases: the infirmities of old age, illness and infirmity.

examples

• Grandad never complained about the infirmities of old age. tree →
• The old king's infirmity meant his son ruled for him. tree →
• The hospital was built for the sick and those in infirmity. tree →
• Despite her infirmity, she walked to church every Sunday. tree →
• In the Bible, Jesus is described as healing many infirmities. tree →
• The almshouse was for poor people who could no longer work because of infirmity. tree →
• Who else would have borne with my infirmities as thou hast! tree →

note

Formal; a doctor would say illness or condition. The adjective is infirm (weak from age or illness). An infirmary is an old word for a hospital or a sick room in a school. Be respectful: do not use «infirm» as an insult.

In the corpora

• The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a broken spirit who can bear?

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «infirmity» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.