Faint
/feɪnt/
adjectiveverbnounB1
Definition
As an adjective, faint describes something that is not strong or clear, like a light, sound, or feeling that is hard to notice. As a verb, faint means to suddenly lose consciousness (pass out) for a short time, usually because of illness, fear, or weakness. As a noun, faint refers to the act of losing consciousness.
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See It in Action
Adjective: weak, unclear, or barely noticeable
- •I heard a faint noise coming from the next room.
- •There was a faint smell of flowers in the air.
- •Her smile was faint but showed she was happy.
Verb: to lose consciousness for a short time
- •She fainted after standing in the sun too long.
- •When he saw the blood, he almost fainted.
- •He fainted because he was very tired and hungry.
Noun: the act of losing consciousness
- •After the faint, she quickly recovered.
- •He remembers the faint but not what happened before it.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "faint" like "weak" (A1 word), but even less strong or almost disappearing
- ✓Picture a very soft light in a dark room that you can barely see, or a very quiet sound you almost can’t hear
- ✓It’s the feeling when you feel dizzy and your eyes start to close before you lose consciousness
- ✓Sounds like "paint" but with an "f" → imagine a very light, almost invisible paint on a wall, so faint you can hardly see it
- ✓Think of a movie scene where a character suddenly falls down because they feel weak or scared—that is fainting
- ✓NOT like "bright" (strong, clear), faint is weak and unclear
- ✓NOT like "shout" (loud sound), faint is soft or quiet
- ✓NOT like "fall" (just drop down), faint means you lose consciousness temporarily
Try Other Words
- •Dim: not bright or clear (Use when talking about light or colors that are less bright)
- •Soft: gentle or quiet (Use when talking about sounds or feelings that are mild)
- •Pass out: to lose consciousness (Use in informal contexts instead of faint as a verb)
- •Lose consciousness: to become unconscious (Use in formal or medical contexts)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no prefix or suffix, base word "faint")
- •Etymology: From Old French "feint," meaning feigned or weak, from Latin "fingere" meaning to shape or pretend
- •Historical development: Originally meant "feigned" or fake, later changed to mean weak or lacking strength, then to losing consciousness
- •Modern usage: Used to describe weak or unclear things and the act of briefly losing consciousness
Reflect & Connect
•What situations can cause someone to faint, and how can you help if it happens?
•How does the idea of something being "faint" help us describe things we notice only a little bit?
Fill in the blanks
1.The faint sound of music ___ from the distance, but I could not tell what song it was.
2.She felt so weak and dizzy that she was afraid she might ___ at any moment.
3.Unlike a loud noise, a faint noise is ___ and hard to hear clearly.
4.When someone faints, they lose ___ for a short time and need help to recover.
5.The faint light in the room made it difficult to ___ what was on the table.
6.He noticed a faint smell of smoke, which made him ___ something was wrong.
7.After the faint, she slowly ___ and started to feel better again.