1find out how heavy (someone or something) is, typically using scales:weigh yourself on the day you begin the dietthe vendor weighed the vegetables
have a specified weight:when the twins were born they weighed ten pounds
balance in the hands to guess or as if to guess the weight of:she picked up the brick and weighed it in her right hand
(weigh something out) measure and take from a larger quantity of a substance a portion of a particular weight:she weighed out two ounces of loose tobacco
2assess the nature or importance of, especially with a view to a decision or action:the consequences of the move would need to be very carefully weighed
(weigh something against) compare the importance of one factor with that of (another):they need to weigh benefit against risk
[no object] influence a decision or action; be considered important:arguments which weighed in favour of publicationthe evidence weighed against him
be heavy and cumbersome to someone:my waders and fishing gear weighed me down
be oppressive or burdensome to someone:she was weighed down by the responsibility of looking after her sisters
weigh in
1(of a boxer or jockey) be officially weighed before or after a contest:Mason weighed in at 17st 10 lb
2 informal make a forceful contribution to a competition or argument:the dispute turned nastier when Steward weighed inthe paper’s editor weighed in with criticism of the president
weigh in at
be of (a specified weight):I had been putting on weight until I weighed in at 12 stone 3 pounds
cost (a specified amount):the car weighs in at £10,270
weigh into
informal
join in forcefully or enthusiastically:they weighed into the election campaign
attack physically or verbally:he weighed into the companies for their high costs
weigh on
be depressing or burdensome to:his unhappiness would weigh on my mind so much
weigh out
(of a jockey) be weighed before a race.
weigh someone/thing up
carefully assess someone or something:the coach weighed up his team’s opponents
