Lacking strength, power, or energy; weak or not very effective.
From Old French 'fieble,' derived from Latin 'flebilis' meaning 'lamentable' or 'deserving tears.' The meaning shifted from 'pitiable' to 'physically weak' over time as the word entered Middle English.
The original Latin root connects to 'flēre' (to weep), so calling someone feeble literally meant they were 'worthy of weeping for'—what a poetic way to describe weakness! This shows how medieval people thought about vulnerability as something genuinely sad.
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