Though not the name of a specific disease, “frail” is a common poetic description of a body made weak by sickness, poverty, age, or grief. It may evoke trembling limbs, thin breath, pale skin, and dependence on care. Poets use the word to emphasize mortality and the contrast between bodily delicacy and an indifferent world. A frail speaker or figure can also represent emotional susceptibility, making private suffering visible through physical weakness.

"Frail" describes a delicate, easily broken physical or emotional condition resulting from illness, old age, or inherent weakness. In poetry across all eras, frailty is a central motif used to contrast ephemeral human life with the enduring permanence of art, nature, or the divine (e.g., Dylan Thomas's "Do not go gentle into that good night," which references "Frail deeds"). Usage Tip: Guide students to examine how poets balance descriptions of physical frailty with inner spiritual resilience, creating poignant emotional tension within elegies and sonnets. Related terms include fragile, attenuated, decrepit, and delicate.