weigh

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
weigh1

▶verb

• 1 find out how heavy (someone or something) is.

  ■ have a specified weight.

  ■ balance (something) in the hands to assess its weight.

  ■ (weigh something out) measure and take out a portion of a particular weight.

  ■ (weigh in) (of a boxer or jockey) be officially weighed before or after a contest.

  ■ (weigh out) (of a jockey) be weighed before a race.

• 2 (weigh someone down) be heavy and cumbersome or oppressive to someone.

  ■ (weigh on) be depressing or burdensome to.

• 3 (often weigh something up/against) assess the nature or importance of.

  ■ (often weigh against) influence a decision or action.

• 4 (weigh in) informal make a forceful contribution to a competition or argument.

  ■ (weigh into) join in or attack forcefully or enthusiastically.

– phrases
weigh anchor Nautical take up the anchor when ready to sail.

– derivatives
weighable adjective,
weigher noun.

– origin OE wegan, of Gmc origin.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
weigh2

▶noun (in phr. under weigh) Nautical another way of saying under way (see under).

– origin C18: from an erroneous assoc. with weigh anchor (see weigh1).