weigh [OE] The word weigh can be traced back to an ancient root that also gave us Latin vehere ‘to carry’, the source of *vehicle. Early senses of weigh that are no longer used included ‘to transport from one place to another’ and ‘to raise up’, still in weigh the anchor of a boat or ship. The modern meaning probably comes from the idea of lifting something up on a pair of scales or similar device to weigh it. Weight [OE] is not directly related, but Old English gewiht was re-formed under the influence of weigh.