The phrase "hadst a weakness for" is a combination of Old English and Middle English. "Hadst" is the second person singular past tense of "have," and "a weakness for" means a strong liking or fondness for something. In IPA phonetic transcription, "hadst" is pronounced as /hædst/, where the "st" at the end is pronounced as a voiceless alveolar fricative sound. The phrase may appear archaic to many, but it is still occasionally used in literature and poetry to create a nostalgic or romantic effect.