Meaning of heavy in English

heavy

adjective

/ˈhev.i/ us

/ˈhev.i/

heavy adjective (WEIGHING A LOT)

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weighing a lot, and needing effort to move or lift:

heavy equipment

heavy work/lifting

how heavy How heavy is that box? (= How much does it weigh?)

Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples

weighing more than normal

heavyWow, this suitcase is really heavy.
weightyThe shelves were full of large, oversized dictionaries and other weighty volumes.
weigh a tonMy old laptop weighs a ton compared to this new table.
super-heavyThey sell a midsize SUV, but their latest SUV is super-heavy.
ultra-heavyShe bought an ultra-heavy motorcycle for long-distance rides.

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This box is really heavy - can we put it down for a minute?
He laboured up the hill with his heavy load.
Several pieces of heavy equipment had to be manhandled into the lorry.
These books are too heavy for me to carry.
In the past, armies used catapults to hurl heavy stones at enemy fortifications.

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Thick, dense and heavy

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heavy adjective (TO A GREAT DEGREE)

(especially of something unpleasant) of very or especially great force, amount, or degree:

a heavy blow to the head

heavy fighting

heavy traffic

heavy rain/snow

a heavy smoker/drinker

a heavy sleeper

heavy seas

sea that is rough with large waves:

The ship ran aground in heavy seas.

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Our armies have come under heavy bombardment.
The unusually heavy rain caused flash floods in several mountain villages.
Despite incurring heavy losses, the rebels now hold the town and the surrounding hills.
Both the armies suffered heavy losses in the battle.
The marriage ran into trouble because of her husband's heavy drinking.

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Serious and severe

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heavy adjective (SOLID)

thick, strong, solid, or strongly made:

a heavy winter coat

a heavy meal (= a large amount of solid food)

a big man with heavy features

Heavy soil is thick and difficult to dig or walk through.

thick, solid-looking, and not delicate:

The sun disappeared behind heavy clouds.

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Physically strong and powerful

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Soil

Animal physiology: fat or well-built

heavy adjective (MACHINES)

Heavy machines or vehicles that are very large and powerful:

heavy artillery/machinery

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Big and quite big

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heavy adjective (UNPLEASANT)

old-fashioned slang

used to describe something such as a situation that is dangerous or unpleasant:

Then the police arrived and things got really heavy.

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Serious and unpleasant

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Dangerous and harmful

Idioms

a heavy date
have a heavy foot
a heavy heart
heavy hitter
be heavy on someone
be/go heavy on something
heavy with sth
make heavy weather of something

heavy

noun [ C ]

/ˈhev.i/ us

/ˈhev.i/

heavy noun [C] (STRONG MAN)

slang

a large strong man employed to protect someone else or to frighten other people:

Frank always took a couple of heavies along with him when he went collecting his debts.

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Protection and protectors

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heavy noun [C] (BOXER)

informal

a boxer or wrestler who competes in the heaviest weight group:

At that point in his career, there were no great heavies capable of pushing him.

Synonym

heavyweight

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He describes the country's heavies as "ordinary fighters", but rates them well ahead of their American counterparts.
You take your chances going to the fights, especially to see the heavies, whose bouts sometimes last less than a minute.