Defn: Weak. [Obs.] Shak.
DEBILITANT
De*bil"i*tant, a. Etym: [L. debilitants, p. pr.] (Med.)
Defn: Diminishing the energy of organs; reducing excitement; as, a debilitant drug.
DEBILITATE
De*bil"i*tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Debilitated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Debilitating.] Etym: [L. debilitatus, p. p. of debilitare to
debilitate, fr. debilis. See Debility.]
Defn: To impair the strength of; to weaken; to enfeeble; as, to debilitate the body by intemperance. Various ails debilitate the mind. Jenyns. The debilitated frame of Mr. Bertram was exhausted by this last effort. Sir W. Scott.
DEBILITATION
De*bil`i*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. debilitatio: cf. F. débilitation.]
Defn: The act or process of debilitating, or the condition of one who is debilitated; weakness.
DEBILITY De*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. debilitas, fr. debilis weak, prob. fr. de- + habilis able: cf. F. débilité. See Able, a.]
Defn: The state of being weak; weakness; feebleness; languor. The inconveniences of too strong a perspiration, which are debility, faintness, and sometimes sudden death. Arbuthnot.
Syn. — Debility, Infirmity, Imbecility. An infirmity belongs, for the most part, to particular members, and is often temporary, as of the eyes, etc. Debility is more general, and while it lasts impairs the ordinary functions of nature. Imbecility attaches to the whole frame, and renders it more or less powerless. Debility may be constitutional or may be the result or superinduced causes; Imbecility is always constitutional; infirmity is accidental, and results from sickness or a decay of the frame. These words, in their figurative uses, have the same distinctions; we speak of infirmity of will, debility of body, and an Imbecility which affects the whole man; but Imbecility is often used with specific reference to feebleness of mind.