faintest
faintest — adjective
- faintestpositive
- more faintestcomparative
- most faintestsuperlative
1. something that is very weak in strength, amount, or degree, making it hard to no
something that is very weak in strength, amount, or degree, making it hard to notice or perceive clearly — for example, a sound that is almost inaudible, a light that is dim, or a chance that is extremely small.
From the lane, Maja heard the faintest sound of piano music.
faintest + sound — refers to barely audible noise
There was not the faintest chance of rain, so the picnic went ahead as planned.
not the faintest chance — emphasising an extremely small possibility
Even the faintest light from the window was enough to wake the baby.
Henry drew the faintest line on the paper with an old pencil.
The two paintings share the faintest resemblance, though they were painted fifty years apart.
- slight
very similar in meaning; 'slightest' is a more common alternative in negative sentences ('not the slightest chance')
- dim
specifically of light or visibility; not used for abstract quantities like chance or resemblance
- vague
used for unclear memories, ideas, or shapes; overlaps with 'faint' for perceptions but not for physical weakness
用法筆記
Often used with 'not' to strongly deny the smallest amount of something (see sense 2 for the idiomatic expression 'not the faintest idea').
常見錯誤
2. used in the fixed expression 'not have the faintest idea / notion / clue' to str
used in the fixed expression 'not have the faintest idea / notion / clue' to strongly emphasise that you know absolutely nothing about something or have no understanding of it at all.
Romi did not have the faintest idea what page the homework was on.
not have the faintest idea + wh-clause
The mechanic had not the faintest notion how to fix the old car engine.
Tariro admitted she did not have the faintest clue where the library was.
Minho had not the faintest idea where the torch was kept.
用法筆記
Almost always appears in negative constructions. The word 'faintest' cannot be replaced with 'faint' in this fixed expression — it is a fossilised superlative.
常見錯誤
3. experiencing a sudden weakness and dizziness that makes you feel you might lose
experiencing a sudden weakness and dizziness that makes you feel you might lose consciousness and fall — typically triggered by heat, hunger, fear, or the sight of blood.
After two hours in the hot sun, Vivek felt faint and had to sit down.
feel faint + cause (standing in hot sun)
The smell of the strong medicine made Adina feel faint, so she opened a window.
Darius felt faint when he saw the amount of blood on the hospital floor.
The nurse told the students to drink water or they might feel faint.
- dizzy
more general; dizziness does not always lead to losing consciousness, while feeling faint suggests that outcome is possible
- lightheaded
very similar; focuses on the sensation in the head rather than overall weakness
用法筆記
Always describes a temporary physical state, not a personality trait. Typically follows 'feel', 'become', or 'grow'. The verb 'faint' describes the actual loss of consciousness; 'feel faint' describes the sensation before losing consciousness.
常見錯誤
4. lacking the bravery, determination, or strength of character needed to face a di
lacking the bravery, determination, or strength of character needed to face a difficult, dangerous, or unpleasant situation, and therefore avoiding it or giving up too easily.
Sirin was not faint-hearted enough to walk away from the risky plan.
faint-hearted — common compound form of this sense
The general had no use for faint-hearted soldiers who would not stand their ground.
Xiu thought her brother was too faint-hearted to argue with the landlord.
A faint heart never won a fair maiden, the old grandmother told Ignacio.
- cowardly
stronger and more negative; 'faint' in this sense is softer and often implies pity rather than contempt
- timid
focuses on shyness and lack of confidence rather than moral weakness
- weak-willed
emphasises a lack of resolve or determination to stick to one's principles
- brave
willing to face danger or difficulty
- courageous
showing determination in the face of fear
用法筆記
This sense is increasingly rare in modern everyday speech. It survives mainly in fixed expressions ('faint of heart', 'faint-hearted') and in literary or formal contexts. Distinguish from sense 1 ('not strong or clear') — that sense applies to things, while this sense describes people or their actions.
常見錯誤
faintest — verb
- faintestpresent simple I / you / we / they
- faintests3rd person singular
- faintesting-ing form
- faintestedpast simple
1. to suddenly lose consciousness for a short period of time, usually because of sh
to suddenly lose consciousness for a short period of time, usually because of shock, extreme heat, hunger, fear, or the sight of blood, and typically fall down as a result.
Maja fainted when she heard the terrible news about the earthquake in her hometown.
faint + cause (strong emotional shock)
The heat inside the crowded train was so intense that several passengers fainted.
Yuna almost fainted from hunger after skipping breakfast and lunch during the exam week.
The doctor said the old man did not faint — he simply fell asleep from exhaustion.
- wake up
the act of regaining consciousness after any period of unconsciousness
- come round
British English phrasal verb meaning to regain consciousness after fainting
用法筆記
Intransitive only — there is no direct object. The cause is introduced by 'from', 'with', or 'at' ('faint from hunger', 'faint with shock', 'faint at the sight of blood'). Unlike the adjective 'feel faint', the verb describes the actual moment of losing consciousness, not just the sensation.
常見錯誤
faintest — noun
1. a short period during which someone is unconscious, caused by a temporary drop i
a short period during which someone is unconscious, caused by a temporary drop in blood flow to the brain, and often accompanied by falling down.
Romi fell into a faint when she saw the snake on the kitchen floor.
fall into a faint — common fixed collocation
The actress collapsed in a faint right after the final curtain fell on stage.
collapse in a faint — alternative collocation
The elderly passenger recovered from his faint within a few minutes and asked for cold water.
During the roller-coaster ride, the young girl had a sudden faint while the ride was at its highest point.
用法筆記
The noun 'faint' is countable (a faint, two faints) but less common in everyday speech than the verb. It typically appears in fixed phrases like 'fall into a faint' or 'collapse in a faint', which are now considered slightly literary or old-fashioned; most speakers say 'she fainted' rather than 'she had a faint'.