To weigh something means to measure how heavy it is. You might weigh yourself on a bathroom scale to see if you've grown, or weigh ingredients on a kitchen scale when baking cookies. Doctors weigh babies to track their growth. Grocery stores weigh fruit to determine the price.

The word also means to think carefully about something before making a decision. When you weigh your options, you're considering the pros and cons of different choices, like mentally placing each possibility on opposite sides of a scale to see which feels heavier or more important. A judge weighs the evidence in a trial. Your parents might weigh the costs and benefits before buying a new car.

Weigh can also describe something pressing down with its heaviness. Worries might weigh on someone's mind, making them feel burdened. A heavy backpack weighs down your shoulders.

Notice how the word connects measuring physical weight to measuring importance or value. Just as a scale helps you compare which object is heavier, careful thinking helps you compare which choice matters more.