# Is Weigh Him Down Correct? (Grammar Question)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-weigh-him-down-correct-grammar-question/558383>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [October 26, 2010, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-weigh-him-down-correct-grammar-question/558383 "2010-10-26T04:48:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-weigh-him-down-correct-grammar-question/558383/1 "2010-10-26T04:48:04Z")

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This was from a book,

“We tried to throw the body in the lake but the body keeps floating to the top. We’re gonna have to weigh him down.”

Is that correct? Shouldn’t it be _weight_ him down? As in weights like you lift?

Yeah, I know the sentence is pretty poorly constructed and should be re-written but didn’t write it 🙂

So what do you think?

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**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-weigh-him-down-correct-grammar-question/558383/2 "2010-10-26T04:53:27Z")

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It’s fine. eg: to be weighed down with responsibility/wet clothing.

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-weigh-him-down-correct-grammar-question/558383/3 "2010-10-26T04:56:37Z")

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No, [weigh down](http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/weigh-down) is OK, at least according to some dictionaries:

> [@](#):
>
> 1. to make someone heavy and unable to move easily  
> If you weigh yourself down you’ll get very tired.  
> The waiters were weighed down by huge trays of food.

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-weigh-him-down-correct-grammar-question/558383/4 "2010-10-26T06:00:40Z")

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I’d use “weight” only if I were literally attaching weights to him.

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**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-weigh-him-down-correct-grammar-question/558383/5 "2010-10-26T12:04:01Z")

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> [@panache45](#):
>
> I’d use “weight” only if I were literally attaching weights to him.

No, even then you’re weighing the body down (with weights).