Heavy
/ˈhɛvi/
adjectiveA2
Definition
Heavy describes something that weighs a lot or is hard to carry. It can also mean something strong, serious, or intense, like heavy rain or heavy emotions. The word is often used to talk about the physical weight of objects or strong feelings and situations.
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See It in Action
Having a lot of weight or difficult to lift
- •The box was so heavy that I needed help to carry it.
- •This suitcase is heavy because of all the books inside.
- •Heavy furniture can be hard to move by yourself.
Strong, serious, or intense in feeling or effect
- •There was heavy rain all night long.
- •She felt heavy sadness after hearing the bad news.
- •The movie had a heavy message about friendship and loss.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "heavy" like "big," but about weight or strength instead of size
- ✓Picture trying to lift a big rock or a full backpack that feels hard to carry
- ✓It's the feeling when you carry something that pulls down on your arms or when you feel very sad or serious inside
- ✓Sounds like "HEV-ee" → imagine a big "HEAVY" box that makes you say "hev!" as you try to lift it
- ✓Think of a strong storm with heavy rain pouring down fast and loud
- ✓NOT like "light" (which means easy to carry or not much weight), "heavy" means the opposite, hard to lift or strong
- ✓NOT like "soft" (gentle and easy), heavy is strong and solid, not gentle
- ✓NOT like "small" (little size), heavy can be big or small but always hard to carry because of weight
Try Other Words
- •Weighty: having a lot of weight (Use when emphasizing the actual weight of an object)
- •Strong: powerful or intense (Use when talking about feelings or effects, like strong emotions or strong rain)
- •Dense: closely packed and heavy for its size (Use when something is heavy because it is tightly packed)
- •Serious: important or strong in meaning (Use when describing heavy feelings or situations)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "heav-" (root related to weight) + "-y" (adjective suffix meaning "full of" or "having")
- •Etymology: From Old English "hefig," meaning heavy or weighty
- •Historical development: The word has kept its basic meaning of weight and strength since old times
- •Modern usage: Used for physical weight and also for strong feelings, weather, or situations
- •Key insight: "Heavy" is both about physical weight and about strong, serious states or feelings
Reflect & Connect
•How does the word "heavy" change when you use it for feelings instead of objects?
•Can something be heavy but not big? Can you think of examples?
Fill in the blanks
1.The box was heavy ___ it was full of books and clothes.
2.She felt heavy ___ after hearing the sad news about her friend.
3.Heavy rain made the streets ___ and hard to walk on.
4.Unlike light objects, heavy things need more ___ to move.
5.When the music was heavy, it made everyone feel ___ and serious.
6.He tried to lift the heavy suitcase, but it was too ___ for one person.
7.The heavy clouds in the sky showed that ___ was coming soon.