Weight sth down Meaning & Examples: How to Use This Phrasal Verb

What Does “Weight sth down” Mean?

“Weight sth down” means to make something heavier by adding weight to it. It often refers to physically holding something down so it doesn’t move or float away.

Introduction

The phrase “weight sth down” is a common phrasal verb used in everyday English. It describes the action of adding weight to an object to keep it stable or prevent it from moving. For example, you might weight down a stack of papers with a book so they don’t fly away in the wind. Understanding the weight sth down meaning helps learners use this phrase correctly in both spoken and written English. It’s useful in many contexts, especially when talking about physical objects or situations where stability is needed.

Quick Info Box

• Phrasal verb: weight something down
• Type: Transitive
• Level: B1 (Intermediate)
• Short meaning: To make something heavier to keep it in place

Structure (Grammar Rules)

“Weight sth down” is a separable phrasal verb. This means you can place the object between “weight” and “down” or after the whole phrase.

• weight something down
• weight down something

Examples:

• She weighted the papers down with a rock.
• She weighted down the papers with a rock.

How to Use Weight sth down?

You use “weight sth down” when you want to describe adding weight to an object. This helps prevent it from moving or blowing away. It is often used with physical objects like papers, tents, or bags. The phrase can also be used figuratively, but it is most common in physical contexts.

Examples

Here are some sentences that show how to use “weight sth down” in a sentence:

• We weighted the tent down with heavy stones so it wouldn’t blow away in the wind.
• Can you weight down these papers while I find a pen?
• She weighted down the corners of the tablecloth to keep it from flying off.
• To keep the balloons from floating away, they weighted them down with small sandbags.
• The boat was weighted down with extra cargo to improve stability.

Common Mistakes

Sometimes learners confuse the object position or use the wrong preposition. Here are some common mistakes and correct forms:

• Incorrect: She weighted down with the bags the boxes.
  Correct: She weighted the boxes down with the bags.
• Incorrect: We weight downed the papers.
  Correct: We weighted down the papers.
• Incorrect: Weight the down papers.
  Correct: Weight down the papers.

Differences / Synonyms

Similar phrasal verbs include “hold down” and “pin down.”

• Hold down: To keep something from moving by pressing it down, often with hands or body weight.
• Pin down: To hold something firmly in place, often using pins or clips.

“Weight sth down” specifically involves adding weight rather than just pressure or force.

Common Collocations

It’s useful to know what objects are commonly weighted down. Here are some examples:

• Papers – to stop them from flying away
• Tent – to keep it stable in windy weather
• Tablecloth – to prevent it from blowing off tables
• Balloons – to stop them from floating away
• Boat – to improve balance and stability

Real-life Dialogue

Here is a simple conversation using the phrasal verb “weight sth down”:

Anna: The wind is really strong today.

Ben: Yes, we should weight the tent down with some rocks.

Anna: Good idea. I don’t want it to blow away.

Ben: I’ll find some heavy stones now.

Practice

Try to complete the sentence with the correct form of the phrasal verb “weight sth down”:

• You should ________ the papers ________ with a book so they don’t fly away.
• They ________ the boat ________ with extra cargo to keep it stable.

Answers: weight, down / weighted, down

FAQ

• Q: Is “weight sth down” separable?
  A: Yes, you can put the object between “weight” and “down” or after the phrase.
• Q: Can “weight sth down” be used figuratively?
  A: It is mostly used literally, but sometimes it can mean to burden or overload something.
• Q: What level of English is “weight sth down”?
  A: It is generally considered B1 (intermediate) level.
• Q: Can I say “weight down the papers”?
  A: Yes, that is correct and common usage.
• Q: What is a synonym for “weight sth down”?
  A: “Hold down” or “pin down” can be similar but are not always interchangeable.