What does weighs mean?
Weighs is the third-person singular present-tense form of the verb weigh. Its most direct meaning is to measure how heavy something is, as when a scale weighs a parcel or a person weighs food before serving it. Weighs also has the figurative meaning of considering or assessing something carefully, especially its importance, advantages, disadvantages, or possible consequences. In expressions such as “the decision weighs heavily on her,” it describes emotional or moral significance rather than physical mass. The word is used in standard British and American English and is common in both practical and figurative contexts. Its silent h can make spelling challenging because the word is pronounced like “ways,” but its meaning remains clear from context: it concerns either physical weight or the relative importance of a choice, piece of evidence, or consequence.
verbAs a third-person singular present-tense verb, weighs means to measure the weight of something or to determine how heavy it is. It can also mean to consider or assess the importance, advantages, or disadvantages of something.
- To measure the weight or heaviness of a person or thing.
- To consider or assess the importance, advantages, disadvantages, or effects of something.
- To have a specified degree of importance or influence, especially in the expression weighs heavily.
"The jeweler weighs the diamond before setting it in gold."
"The scale weighs the parcel with remarkable precision."
"Before deciding, she weighs the benefits of working from home against the drawbacks."
The silent h is a spelling trap: weighs sounds like ways, but it means to measure mass or assess importance.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does weighs come from?
Weighs comes from the Old English verb wēgan, meaning “to weigh” or “to balance,” and is the modern third-person singular form of weigh. The word has relatives in other Germanic languages, including German wiegen, Dutch wegen, and Swedish väga. English weight also developed from the same Germanic root, connecting the modern words weigh and weight through their long-shared history.
Related word forms
How weighs is actually used
The form weighs is the standard third-person singular present-tense form of weigh. The phrase weighs heavily is idiomatic and indicates strong importance or influence; it does not refer literally to physical weight in that usage.
Easily confused with weighs
Weighs is a verb meaning to measure weight or assess importance, whereas way is a noun meaning a method, direction, or route.