Heavy

Definition

Heavy is an adjective, noun, and adverb. As an adjective, it refers to having great weight, being intense, or requiring significant effort. As a noun, it describes a serious or intense role, such as a villain in drama. As an adverb, it is used informally to mean "heavily."

Parts of Speech

• Adjective
• Noun
• Adverb (informal)

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈhɛvi/
• Respelling: HEV-ee

British English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈhɛvi/
• Respelling: HEV-ee

Etymology

The word "heavy" originates from Old English "hefig," meaning "heavy or weighty," derived from Proto-Germanic "*hafigaz," which is related to Proto-Indo-European "*kap-" (to seize or grasp). Its meaning evolved to include both physical and metaphorical weight.

Derivatives

• Heavily (adverb)
• Heaviness (noun)
• Heavyweight (noun)
• Heavy-handed (adjective)
• Heavyset (adjective)

Synonyms

• Weighty
• Intense
• Massive

Antonyms

• Light
• Easy
• None

Usage

The adjective "heavy" is used in contexts such as "The box is too heavy to lift." As a noun, it appears in sentences like "He played the heavy in the play." Informally, it can function as an adverb, e.g., "It rained heavy last night."

Related Terms

• Mass: The amount of matter in an object.
• Weight: The force exerted on an object due to gravity.
• Intensity: The degree of strength or force.

Detailed Definitions

Adjective

• Having great weight: Refers to physical mass or heaviness.
  • Example: "The bag was too heavy to carry."
• Requiring great effort or exertion: Describes something burdensome or difficult.
  • Example: "He was given a heavy workload."
• Serious or intense in nature: Indicates something significant or severe.
  • Example: "The movie dealt with heavy themes."

Noun

• A serious or intense role or figure: Often refers to a villain or antagonist in drama.
  • Example: "He is best known for playing the heavy in action films."

Adverb (Informal)

• Heavily or to a great degree: Indicates an action done with intensity or weight.
  • Example: "It rained heavy last night."