Counties in Massachusetts and New England generally are historically weak governmental structures.

Software, semiconductor, and computer industries have been innovative despite historically weak patent protection, he argued.

Otherwise, in 2008, despite years of crisis in Iraq, the usual dichotomy may well reassert itself: that Republicans are historically strong on defense, and Democrats historically weak.

Analysts predict that G.M. will lose money in the current quarter, which is historically weak because plants are shut down to prepare for production of the next year's models.

Radical Muslim political parties, historically weak at the polls, are traditionally potent in the streets, where the number of poor and the number of refugees grow.

"In a quarter that is historically weak due to seasonal softness in the European markets, we increased overall revenue and showed impressive order-rate growth worldwide."

Maida Rosenstein, president of Local 2110, said an agency shop was needed to strengthen a historically weak union.

One advantage Labour has is that, behind the prime minister's naturally confident demeanour, the Conservative party is historically weak.

The peso, historically weak and humble, continued to strengthen against the dollar, leading many to worry that it had become overvalued.

Focus were historically weak in the sale of kitchens and conservatories.