What is "weaker vessel"

Vessel \Ves"sel\, n. [OF. vessel, veissel, vaissel, vaissiel, F. vascellum, dim. of vasculum, dim. of vas a vessel. Cf. Vascular, Vase.]

1. A hollow or concave utensil for holding anything; a hollow receptacle of any kind, as a hogshead, a barrel, a firkin, a bottle, a kettle, a cup, a bowl, etc.

   [They drank] out of these noble vessels.
   --Chaucer.

2. A general name for any hollow structure made to float upon the water for purposes of navigation; especially, one that is larger than a common rowboat; as, a war vessel; a passenger vessel.

   [He] began to build a vessel of huge bulk.
   --Milton.

3. Fig.: A person regarded as receiving or containing something; esp. (Script.), one into whom something is conceived as poured, or in whom something is stored for use; as, vessels of wrath or mercy.

   He is a chosen vessel unto me.
   --Acts ix. 15.

   [The serpent] fit vessel, fittest imp of fraud, in whom To enter.
   --Milton.

4. (Anat.) Any tube or canal in which the blood or other fluids are contained, secreted, or circulated, as the arteries, veins, lymphatics, etc.

5. (Bot.) A continuous tube formed from superposed large cylindrical or prismatic cells (trache[ae]), which have lost their intervening partitions, and are usually marked with dots, pits, rings, or spirals by internal deposition of secondary membranes; a duct.

   Acoustic vessels. See under Acoustic.

   Weaker vessel, a woman; -- now applied humorously. ``Giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel.''
   --1 Peter iii. 7. ``You are the weaker vessel.''
   --Shak.

n. (context idiomatic dated now offensive English) A woman; women collectively.