of great weight; hard to lift or carry

a heavy load.

of great amount, quantity, or size; extremely large; massive

a heavy vote; a heavy snowfall.

of great force, intensity, turbulence, etc.

a heavy sea.

of more than the usual or average weight

a heavy person; heavy freight.

having much weight in proportion to bulk; being of high specific gravity

a heavy metal.

of major import; grave; serious

a heavy offense.

deep or intense; profound

a heavy thinker; heavy slumber.

Military .

thickly armed or equipped with guns of large size. Compare heavy cruiser .

(of guns) of the more powerful sizes

heavy weapons. Compare heavy artillery

hard to bear; burdensome; harsh; oppressive

heavy taxes.

hard to cope with; trying; difficult

a heavy task.

being as indicated to an unusually great degree

a heavy buyer.

broad, thick, or coarse; not delicate

heavy lines drawn in charcoal.

weighted or laden

air heavy with moisture.

fraught; loaded; charged

words heavy with meaning.

depressed with trouble or sorrow; showing sorrow; sad

a heavy heart.

without vivacity or interest; ponderous; dull

a heavy style.

slow in movement or action; clumsy

a heavy walk.

loud and deep; sonorous

a heavy sound.

(of the sky) overcast or cloudy.

exceptionally dense in substance; insufficiently raised or leavened; thick

heavy doughnuts.

(of food) not easily digested.

being in a state of advanced pregnancy; nearing childbirth

heavy with child; heavy with young.

having a large capacity, capable of doing rough work, or having a large output

a heavy truck.

producing or refining basic materials, as steel or coal, used in manufacturing

heavy industry.

sober, serious, or somber

a heavy part in a drama.

Chemistry . of or pertaining to an isotope of greater than normal atomic weight, as heavy hydrogen or heavy oxygen, or to a compound containing such an element, as heavy water.

Slang .

very good; excellent.

very serious or important

a really heavy relationship.

Prosody . (of a syllable)

stressed.

long.

a somber or ennobled theatrical role or character

Iago is the heavy in Othello.

the theatrical role of a villain.

an actor who plays a theatrical heavy.

Military . a gun of great weight or large caliber.

Slang . a very important or influential person

a reception for government heavies.

heavily.

noun

denseness , thickness , density , mass , weight , heftiness , massiveness , ponderosity , ponderousness , weightiness