English Dictionary

Definition of “heavy”

Browse the English dictionary (A-Z)

heavy (ˈhɛvɪPronunciation for heavy) 

Definitions

adjective

Word forms: heavier, heaviest
  1. of comparatively great weight  ⇒ a heavy stone 
  2. having a relatively high density  ⇒ lead is a heavy metal 
  3. great in yield, quality, or quantity  ⇒ heavy rain heavy traffic 
  4. great or considerable  ⇒ heavy emphasis 
  5. hard to bear, accomplish, or fulfil  ⇒ heavy demands 
  6. sad or dejected in spirit or mood  ⇒ heavy at heart 
  7. coarse or broad  ⇒ a heavy line heavy features 
  8. (of soil) having a high clay content; cloggy
  9. solid or fat  ⇒ heavy legs 
  10. (of an industry) engaged in the large-scale complex manufacture of capital goods or extraction of raw materials Compare light2 (sense 19)
  11. serious; grave
  12. military 
    1. armed or equipped with large weapons, armour, etc
    2. (of guns, etc) of a large and powerful type
  13. (of a syllable) having stress or accentuation Compare light2 (sense 24)
  14. dull and uninteresting  ⇒ a heavy style 
  15. prodigious  ⇒ a heavy drinker 
  16. (of cakes, bread, etc) insufficiently leavened
  17. deep and loud  ⇒ a heavy thud 
  18.  (of music, literature, etc) 
    1. dramatic and powerful; grandiose
    2. not immediately comprehensible or appealing
  19. slang 
    1. unpleasant or tedious
    2. wonderful
    3. (of rock music) having a powerful beat; hard
  20. weighted; burdened  ⇒ heavy with child 
  21. clumsy and slow  ⇒ heavy going 
  22. permeating  ⇒ a heavy smell 
  23. cloudy or overcast, esp threatening rain  ⇒ heavy skies 
  24. not easily digestible  ⇒ a heavy meal 
  25. (of an element or compound) being or containing an isotope with greater atomic weight than that of the naturally occurring element  ⇒ heavy hydrogen heavy water 
  26. horse racing (of the going on a racecourse) soft and muddy
  27. slang using, or prepared to use, violence or brutality  ⇒ the heavy mob 
  28. See heavy on

noun

Word forms: plural, heavies
    1. a villainous role
    2. an actor who plays such a part
  2. military 
    1. a large fleet unit, esp an aircraft carrier or battleship
    2. a large calibre or weighty piece of artillery
  3. See the heavies
  4. informal a heavyweight boxer, wrestler, etc
  5. slang a man hired to threaten violence or deter others by his presence
  6. Scottish strong bitter beer

adverb

    1. in a heavy manner; heavily  ⇒ time hangs heavy 
    2. ((in combination)  ⇒ heavy-laden 

Alternative Forms

ˈheavily adverb ˈheaviness noun

Word Origin

Old English hefig;  related to hebban  to heave, Old High German hebīg

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry
= weighty, large, massive, hefty, bulky, ponderous, hevE
= intensive, severe, serious, concentrated, fierce, excessive, relentless, hevE
= considerable, large, huge, substantial, abundant, copious, profuse, hevE
= solid, strong, thick, substantial, sturdy, hevE
= overweight, fat, plump, obese, stocky, fleshy, portly, corpulent, thickset, hevE
= viscous, thick, sticky, gooey, syrupy, glutinous, gummy, gelatinous, icky, gluey, treacly, mucilaginous, hevE viscid,
= substantial, large, filling, generous, hevE
= excessive, intemperate, immoderate, overindulgent, hevE
= onerous, hard, difficult, severe, harsh, tedious, intolerable, oppressive, grievous, burdensome, wearisome, vexatious, hevE
= sluggish, slow, dull, wooden, stupid, inactive, inert, apathetic, drowsy, listless, indolent, torpid, hevE
= forceful, hard, powerful, strong, sharp, violent, mighty, vigorous, hefty, hevE
= busy, full, hectic, tiring, hevE
= hard, demanding, difficult, physical, strenuous, laborious, hevE
= overcast, dull, gloomy, cloudy, leaden, hevE louring or lowering
= humid, close, sticky, oppressive, clammy, airless, muggy, hevE
= sad, depressed, gloomy, grieving, melancholy, dejected, despondent, downcast, sorrowful, disconsolate, crestfallen, hevE
= sorrowful, sad, gloomy, melancholy, dejected, downcast, grief-stricken, disconsolate, hevE
= serious, grave, solemn, difficult, deep, complex, profound, weighty, hevE
= tempestuous, wild, rough, stormy, choppy, storm-tossed, squally, hevE

Translations

  • British English: heavy Pronunciation for heavy Something that is heavy weighs a lot.The bag is very heavy. What's in it?ˈhɛvɪ ADJECTIVE The bag is very heavy. What's in it?
  • Spanish: pesado Pronunciation for pesado adj pesada
  • French: lourd Pronunciation for lourd adj
  • German: schwer Pronunciation for schwer adj
  • Chinese: 笨重地Pronunciation for 笨重地 adj
  • Arabic: ثَقِيلPronunciation for ثَقِيل adj
  • Portuguese: pesadoPronunciation for pesado adj pesada
  • Russian: тяжелыйPronunciation for тяжелый adj тяжелая
  • Croatian: težakPronunciation for težak adj teška
  • Czech: těžkýPronunciation for těžký adj
  • Danish: tungPronunciation for tung adj
  • Dutch: zwaarPronunciation for zwaar adj
  • Finnish: painavaPronunciation for painava adj
  • Greek: βαρύςPronunciation for βαρύς adj βαριά
  • Italian: pesantePronunciation for pesante adj
  • Japanese: 重いPronunciation for 重い adj
  • Korean: 무거운Pronunciation for 무거운 adj
  • Norwegian: tungPronunciation for tung adj
  • Polish: ciężkiPronunciation for ciężki adj ciężka
  • Brazilian Portuguese: pesadoPronunciation for pesado adj pesada
  • European Spanish: pesado Pronunciation for pesado adj pesada
  • Swedish: tungPronunciation for tung adj tungt
  • Thai: หนักPronunciation for หนัก adj
  • Turkish: ağırPronunciation for ağır adj
  • Vietnamese: nặngPronunciation for nặng adj

Usage examples

  • The room was large and lit by streaming sunlight; the air was heavy with the scent of wildflowers.
    Jennifer Fallon, TREASON KEEP (2001)
  • But when spots become crowded, and hard, heavy surfboards start flying around, accidents happen regularly.
    Country Life (2004)
  • This placed a heavy responsibility on public bodies for their welfare.
    Irish Times (2002)
  • The heavy melting pot of adolescent angst comes to a head at the local nightclub, where some surprising alliances are formed.
    Glasgow Herald (2001)
  • For days previously we could hear the distant sound of explosions and heavy gunfire from across the Channel.
    Alexander Games (compiler), THE ESSENTIAL SPIKE MILLIGAN (2002)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'H'

Related Terms

29 results

View more related terms

Browse nearby words

Browse dictionary