FOIBLE, a French term, frequently used in our own language. It literally signifies weak, and in that sense is applied to the body and its parts, as foible reins, foible sight, and the like. It is derived from the Italian fievole, which again is the Latin febilis, to be lamented or pitied. But it is chiefly used with us substantively, to denote a defect or flaw in a person or thing.