Frail , a.
[Compar. Frailer (?); superl.
Frailest.]
[OE. frele, freile, OF. fraile, frele, F.
frêle, fr. L. fragilis. See Fragile.]
1. Easily broken; fragile; not firm or durable; liable to fail and perish; easily destroyed; not tenacious of life; weak;
infirm.
That I may know how frail I am.
Ps. xxxix. 4.
An old bent man, worn and frail.
Lowell.
2. Tender. [Obs.]
Deep indignation and compassion.
Spenser.
3. Liable to fall from
virtue or be led into sin; not strong against temptation; weak in resolution; also, unchaste; -- often applied to fallen women.
Man is frail, and prone to evil.
Jer. Taylor.
Frail (?), n. [OE.
fraiel, fraile, OF. fraiel,
freel, frael, fr. LL. fraellum.]
A basket made
of rushes, used chiefly for containing figs and
raisins.
2. The quantity of raisins -- about thirty- two, fifty-six, or seventy-five pounds, --
contained in a frail.
3. A rush for weaving baskets. Johnson.
Hear it pronounced