1.faint用作动词时的意思是“晕倒,昏倒”,指由于受外界因素的影响(如饥饿、炎热、恐惧、震惊、痛苦等)而暂时失去知觉。faint引申还可以指“消失,褪色”。
2.faint主要用作不及物动词,后常接副词away,表示“昏过去”“消失”。
3.faint后可接介词from或with,也可接复合介词because of,三者意思上没有明显差别。

faint away (v.+adv.)
▲faint away
1.昏过去 lose consciousness unexpectedly
He fainted away.他昏过去了。
Peter fainted away with the shock of the news.彼得听到这消息后震惊地昏了过去。
2.消失 become weak
The sounds fainted away.声音逐渐消失了。

用作不及物动词
▲S+～(+A)
Several of the girls fainted and had to be carried off the field.几个姑娘昏倒了,不得不被人从战地抬走。
He fainted at the sight of his own blood.他一看到自己的血就晕倒了。
I nearly fainted when they told me the price.他们告诉我这个价钱时,差点把我吓晕过去。
She fainted when she heard the news but a little brandy brought her round.她听到这消息后就昏过去了,但喝了点白兰地又醒过来了。
The young soldier fainted in the hot sun.那个年轻的士兵在炎炎烈日下晕了过去。
He nearly fainted from the pain.他疼得差点晕倒。
She was fainting with hunger.她饿得晕倒了。
Several girls fainted because of the heat.几个女孩热得晕倒了。
I am ready to faint.我要晕过去了。

他妻子被这消息吓晕了。
［误］  His wife is fainted at the news.
［正］  His wife fainted at the news.
［析］  faint是不及物动词,不用于被动结构。

1.faint用作名词时意思是“昏厥,不省人事”,指人处于无知觉或不省人事的状态,这种状态可维持一段较长的时间,也可能只是暂时的。
2.faint常以单数形式出现。

She fell down in a dead faint.她晕倒了。
She collapsed in a faint.她昏倒了。
He recovered from a faint.他从昏晕中苏醒过来。

［词源］  ＜中古英语feint(弱,昏倒)

1.faint的基本意思是“微弱的,模糊的,暗淡的,隐约的”,指事物或声音等由于处于较远的距离或由于其他原因而显得不清楚或不明显; 也可指因身体不好而造成的“无力,虚弱”; 还可指对某事所采取的手段不够强硬而显得“无力,无甚效果”。
2.faint多用来修饰抽象名词,如声音、希望等。

not have the faintest (idea)
根本不知道 not know at all
“Do you know where she is?” “Sorry,I haven't the faintest.”“你知道她在哪里吗?”“对不起,我一点也不知道。”
I haven't the faintest idea what you mean.我一点也不懂你的意思。

用作定语
▲～+n.
She called for help in a faint voice.她用微弱的声音呼救。
Only faint traces of the tiger's tracks could be seen.老虎的踪迹仅依稀可见。
用作表语
▲S+be+～
Our chances of victory are now very faint.我们取胜的机会现在是微乎其微了。
His breathing became faint.他的呼吸变得微弱了。
The atmosphere in the room was very hot and made her feel faint.屋内的空气非常热,使她感到头晕。
▲S+be+～+prep.-phrase
 He is faint with fatigue.他累得头昏眼花。
The explorers were faint from hunger and cold.探险者们因饥寒交迫而萎靡不堪。
He felt faint from lack of food.他因饥饿而感到头晕。