weak tea
1
3.7
- noun
- Informal
:
té débil
- The discussion was filled with uncertain opinions, much like a cup of weak tea.
- the color of weak tea
- bread and weak tea
- drinking weak tea
It has like a little bit of a taste, like almost like a really weak tea.
- It has like a little bit of a taste, like almost like a really weak tea.
Examples
-
I hate the idea of it all - weak tea and economy biscuits.
-
"Paul Ryan's plan is not good; it is weak tea."
Blog text (19) -
This morning she skipped breakfast and only drank some weak tea.
Fiction book (1991) -
I prefer weak tea.
-
He sat at a low table, drank weak tea from a glass in a plastic holder, and lifted shots to his lips, one after another.
Fiction book (2000) -
She went to choir rehearsal on Tuesday nights and helped with Aunt Min's Friday socials, pouring out weak tea for hours without protest.
Fiction book (1994) -
For breakfast, she only had a biscuit and a cup of weak tea.
-
During the gathering, they served weak tea instead of stronger drinks.
How Strong
6
4.5
- Informal
1
3.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The primary meaning 'tea that is not strong' is directly compositional from 'weak' (not strong) + 'tea' (the drink), so a B1 learner who knows both words will infer the literal sense. The figurative sense ('lacking force or substance') is a transparent metaphorical extension of 'weak' to abstract targets and is predictable from the constituents and common cross-linguistic patterns, so overall the expression is readily understandable.
Etymology
Weak tea comes from the simple picture of a cup of tea that looks pale and tastes weak because it was not brewed long enough. That's why calling an idea or apology 'weak tea' means it is 'not strong' or 'lacking force'.