heavy

1 /'hevi/ adjective heavier, heaviest

1 WEIGHT weighing a lot: I can't lift this case - it's too heavy. | The baby seemed to be getting heavier and heavier in her arms. | how heavy? (=how much does it weigh): How heavy is the parcel?

—opposite light 2 (4)

2 A LOT a lot or in very large amounts: The traffic was heavier than normal and I was late for work. | heavy rain/snow: flooding caused by heavy rain over the weekend | heavy use/consumption: the film's heavy use of special effects

3 heavy smoker/drinker someone who smokes a lot or drinks a lot of alcohol

4 SERIOUS/SEVERE serious or severe: heavy winter storms | a heavy burden of responsibility | heavy fine/penalty: heavy fines for possession of hard drugs | a heavy cold (=a very bad cold): She's in bed with a heavy cold. | heavy losses: Most insurance companies suffered heavy losses last year.

5 NEEDING PHYSICAL EFFORT needing a lot of physical strength and effort: heavy manual work

6 NEEDING MENTAL EFFORT not easy or entertaining and needing a lot of mental effort: I want something to read on holiday - nothing too heavy.

7 heavy going difficult to understand or deal with: find sth heavy going: I found Balzac's books pretty heavy going.

8 be heavy on informal to use a lot or too much of something: The car's rather heavy on oil.

9 heavy schedule/timetable/day etc one in which you have a lot to do in a short time: I'd had a heavy day at the office.

10 heavy sleeper someone who does not wake easily

11 heavy breathing breathing that is slow and loud

—see also: heavy breather

12 make heavy weather of sth BrE to make something that you are doing seem more difficult or complicated than it really is: All Nick had to do was reorganize the files but he was making heavy weather of it.

13 CLOTHES ETC clothes, jewellery, or shoes that are heavy are large, thick, and solid: a heavy winter coat

14 BODY/FACE having a large, broad, or thick appearance that is unattractive: a large, heavy-featured woman | heavy build (=a large broad body)

15 WITH FORCE hitting something or falling with a lot of force or weight: the sound of heavy footsteps in the hall | Ali caught him with a heavy blow to the jaw.

16 heavy silence/atmosphere a situation in which people feel sad, anxious, or embarrassed: A heavy silence fell upon the room.

17 heavy sky/clouds looking dark and grey as though it will soon rain

18 heavy seas sea with big waves: The ship went down in heavy seas off the coast of Scotland.

19 FOOD solid and making your stomach feel full and uncomfortable: a heavy meal | heavy fruitcake

20 GROUND

a) soil that is heavy is thick and solid

b) a sports ground or race track that is heavy is muddy: The going is heavy at Epsom today.

21 SMELL strong and usually sweet: a heavy fragrance | be heavy with a scent/fragrance/smell: The garden was heavy with the scent of summer.

22 be heavy with fruit/blossom etc literary if trees are heavy with fruit etc they have a lot of fruit etc on them

23 AIR unpleasantly warm and not at all fresh because there is no wind: the damp heavy atmosphere of the rainforest

24 heavy irony/sarcasm remarks that very clearly say the opposite of what you really feel

25 with a heavy heart literary feeling very sad: It was with a heavy heart that Kate kissed her children goodbye.

26 RELATIONSHIP informal involving serious or strong emotions: She didn't want things to get too heavy at such an early stage in their relationship.

27 heavy date AmE usually humorous a very important date with a boyfriend or girlfriend

28 SERIOUS/WORRYING slang a situation that is heavy makes you feel that people are very angry or have very strong feelings

29 GUNS/WEAPONS (only before noun) large and powerful: tanks and heavy weaponry

30 have a heavy foot AmE informal to drive too fast

— heaviness noun (U) 2 adverb time hangs/lies heavy on your hands if time hangs or lies heavy on your hands, it seems to pass slowly because you are bored or have nothing to do 3 noun (C)

1 informal (usually plural) a large strong man who is paid to protect someone or to threaten other people

2 a serious male character in a play or film, especially a bad character; villain (1)

3 the heavies BrE large, serious newspapers