slenderadj.adv.
/ˈslɛndə/, U.S. /ˈslɛndər/ I. Slight in stature and related uses.
1.
a. Of persons (or animals), their bodies, etc.: Not stout or fleshy; slim, spare. (Frequently implying gracefulness of form, esp. in later use.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > bodily shape or physique > slim shape or physique > [adjective]
genta1275
smallc1275
slendera1400
slightc1400
gauntc1440
light-bodiedc1487
jimp?a1513
slender-bodied1611
snever1640
slim1657
gend1676
scranky1735
light built1778
sveltea1825
spindly1827
slimmish1841
slippy1883
slenderish1894
slim-down1978
α.
β. c1400 Mandeville's Trav. 291 Thei han a blak Hed..and the Body is sclender.c1405 (c1387–95) G. Chaucer Canterbury Tales Prol. (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 589 The Reue was a sclendre coleryk man.a1500 (?c1450) Merlin xiv. 227 Her flessh whitter than snowe, and was not to fatte ne to sklender.1509 S. Hawes Pastime of Pleasure (1845) xxx. 146 Her armes sclender and of goodly body.a1538 T. Starkey Dial. Pole & Lupset (1989) 100 Though thys body be weke sklendur & lakkyth natural strenghth.1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus at Digitus Exiles digiti, sclender [fingers].a1400 Coer de L. 3530 He is fat, and thertoo tendre, And my men are lene and slendre.
1402 T. Hoccleve Let. of Cupid 171 Wheither his shap be outher thikke or slender.
1495 Trevisa's Barth. De P.R. iv. x. 95 Colerik men be generally in the body longe and slendre.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Edward IV f. ccxxiii Kyng Henry was of stature goodly, of body slender.
1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. 350 Females vsually in euery kind haue lesse & slenderer feet than males.
1687 A. Lovell tr. J. de Thévenot Trav. into Levant i. 132 You rub and grate your Back against the aforesaid Stone, unless you be a very slender Man.
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth III. 389 Having the body longer and more slender, the nose smaller.
1804 J. Abernethy Surg. Observ. 210 A German..of a sickly aspect and slender make.
1852 H. B. Stowe Uncle Tom's Cabin II. xxxiii. 194 She's slender; but these yer slender gals will bear half killin' to get their own way!
1871 Figure Training 46 That most elegant female charm, a slender waist.
b. Denoting weakness or absence of robustness. †Also transferred of age, etc.: Tender, immature.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > [adjective] > in state of ill health or diseased > weak > of constitution
neshOE
tender?c1225
softa1387
delicatea1398
nicec1450
slendera1500
weak?1523
dainty1562
fine1562
cockney1573
weakly1577
dough-baked1592
lax1732
flimsy1742
lax-fibred1762
doughy1763
dauncy1846
fragile1858
slim1877
chétif1908
a1500 Abraham 126 in Brome Bk. 54 To folow ȝow I am full fayn, All thow I be slendyr.
1549 M. Coverdale et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. II. 1 John ii. f. xliiiiv So much the more diligently you preache him to them that be of slenderer age.
1718 Mem. Life J. Kettlewell i. xxvii. 50 Concerning his First Book..are these Two Things Remarkable,..First at what a Slender Age..it was written.
1798 M. Cutler Let. 23 Oct. in W. P. Cutler & J. P. Cutler Life, Jrnls. & Corr. M. Cutler (1888) II. 7 His nerves are excitable, and constitution rather slender.
1848 D. Webster Lett. (1902) 604 Not that we suppose Julia is very sick, but she is slender.
2. Of things: Small in diameter or width in proportion to length; long and thin; attenuated.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > shape > condition of being long in relation to breadth > slenderness > [adjective] > made slender
slendera1513
attenuated1677
α.
β. ?1521 J. Fisher Serm. agayn Luther sig. Bvv Faythe wtouten hope is a sklender beme & of a lytle power.1563 J. Shute First Groundes Archit. sig. Fiv The higher they stand, the lesser or sklenderer they muste be.a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) I. lxxxiii. f. xxxii Hengyste..caused the sayd beestes skyn to be cut into a small and slender thonge.
a1592 R. Greene Hist. Orlando Furioso (1594) sig. Ciiiv Seek not..To..slice the slender fillets of my life.
1615 G. Sandys Relation of Journey 245 About the bottome of the bay, where the City is slender, and free from concourse of people.
1673 R. Leigh Transproser Rehears'd 126 J being the tallest slendrest letter of the alphabet.
1723 E. Chambers tr. S. Le Clerc Treat. Archit. I. 69 Roundness makes it appear slenderer than it really is.
a1790 B. Franklin Autobiogr. (1981) iii. 139 The slender Line near four Miles long, which your Army must make.
1810 W. Scott Lady of Lake i. 32 The lighter pine-trees, over-head, Their slender length for rafters spread.
1876 S. Smiles Life Sc. Naturalist iv. 69 They squeaked like mice, and hung to..the slenderest twigs.
3. † b. Of a thin consistency. Obsolete. rare.
a. Having little thickness or solidity in proportion to extent of surface; slight or slim in size or structure.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > shape > condition of being long in relation to breadth > slenderness > [adjective]
subtlea1382
subtilea1393
subtilec1392
smiltc1400
fine?a1425
thina1425
exile?1440
slender1444
tenuious1495
jimp?a1513
lenye1513
fine-spuna1555
nice1567
spindled1584
gracile1590
snever1640
tenuous1656
slim1657
gracilious1688
gracilent1727
twittery1819
flitterya1834
attenuate1848
spiry1849
low-profile1906
matchlike1906
slimline1949
1444 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 219 Hows of this snayl, the wallys wer nat stronge, A slender shelle.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VI 27 b One [cannon] beyng weake and slender, brake in peces, and..slewe the kyng.
1581 R. Mulcaster Positions xxxix. 195 Vnder a sclender veale of counterfeat liberalitie.
1655 M. Carter Anal. Honor in Honor Rediv. Ep. Ded. sig. A That I have preferred so slender a Volume to Your Honorable Patronage [etc.].
1665 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 1 44 Striking through the slender partition of the Coal-wall.
1715 tr. G. Panciroli Hist. Memorable Things Lost I. ii. vii. 83 They were wont to slice their Marble into slender Pieces.
1836 W. Irving Astoria III. 123 They launched forth in their canoes, but soon found that the river had not depth sufficient even for such slender barks.
1871 R. Ellis tr. Catullus Poems lxii. 43 If a slender nail hath nipt his bloom.
1875 H. E. Manning Internal Mission of Holy Ghost Pref. p. vii Nearly ten years ago I dedicated to you a very slender book.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > lack of density > [adjective]
thin849
subtilea1393
airya1398
subtlea1398
rarea1400
shirec1400
finea1425
solutec1440
intenuate1471
slender1528
ethereal1590
tenuous1597
spare1602
unsolid1611
unsolute1612
tenuious1634
etherical1656
airlike1821
wire-drawn1876
1528 T. Paynell tr. Arnaldus de Villa Nova in Joannes de Mediolano Regimen Sanitatis Salerni sig. F iij b Wattrishe wine..whose liquor is as sklender as water.
1635 J. Swan Speculum Mundi v. §2. 136 The aire and water are clean, thin, and slender.
c. Of vowels: Narrow, close.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > study of speech sound > speech sound > vowel > [adjective] > types of
openeOE
sharp?1533
simple1582
small1599
soft1625
obscurea1637
round1710
slender1755
close1760
wide1824
lowered1836
narrow1844
labialized1856
orinasal1856
central1857
reduced1861
free1864
high1867
low1867
mid1867
mixed1867
rounded1867
unrounded1871
raised1876
unreduced1894
obscured1897
spread1902
lax1909
slack1909
tense1909
centralized1926
flat1934
r-coloured1935
checked1943
1755 S. Johnson Dict. Eng. Lang. Gram. A has three sounds, the slender, open, and broad.
1821 O'Reilly Irish Dict. 1/2 The rule of writing a slender with a slender, and a broad with a broad vowel.
1828 J. Walker Crit. Pronouncing Dict. 19/1 The slender a, or that heard in lane.
1889 Cent. Dict. at Broad
4. Of small extent, size, or capacity.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > smallness > [adjective]
smallOE
littleOE
litec1275
a little wightc1275
petitc1390
weea1525
pusill1599
slender1610
lile1633
scantling1652
piccaninny1707
pinkie1718
insignificant1748
baby1750
leetle1755
tiddy1781
bit1786
inconsiderable1796
itty1798
peerie1808
tittya1825
titty-tottya1825
ickle1846
tiddly1868
peewee1877
lil1881
shirttail1881
inextensive1890
puny1898
liddle1906
pint-sized1921
pint-size1925
peedie1929
tenas1935
itsy-bitsy1938
itty-bitty1940
titchy1950
scrappy1985
1610 P. Holland tr. W. Camden Brit. i. 463 Bretenham a very slender little towne.
1614 J. Norden Labyrinth Mans Life sig. L3v Of slender sparke ariseth mighty flame.
1669 R. Boyle Contin. New Exper. Physico-mechanicall: 1st Pt. 4 If the Receiver be fitly stopt, and slender enough..to let out the air at the first exuction.
1827 T. Hood Wee Man ii A slender space will serve my case, For I am small and thin.
1871 R. Ellis tr. Catullus Poems lxiv. 81 When a plague..Spent that slender city.
II. Slight in power or effect.† 5. † b. Deficient in energy or vigour; lax. Obsolete.
a. Moderate or deficient in power or strength. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > [adjective]
light?c1225
moderatea1398
sober1398
weakc1400
meanly?a1425
treatablec1450
slenderc1475
remiss1550
quiet1560
unpassionatea1600
relaxative1611
c1475 (?c1400) Apol. Lollard Doctr. (1842) 45 I wot not þat I seid it, and mannis mynd is sclendre.
1559 P. Morwyng tr. C. Gesner Treasure of Euonymus 249 The fire must be made very light and sclender, and encresed by litle and litle.
1587 G. Turberville Tragicall Tales f. 87v And eke the winde so slender was To cause the ship to steare.
1657 R. Austen Spirituall Use of Orchard (new ed.) 49 The inclinations..are then but very weake, and slender.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > [adjective]
evil971
lowc1175
poor?c1225
feeblec1275
vilea1300
petty1372
unthende1377
secondary1386
petitc1390
unmeeta1393
illa1400
commonc1400
coarse1424
indigent1426
unlikelyc1450
lesser1464
gross1474
naughty1526
inferior1531
reprobate?1545
slender1577
unlikely1578
puny1579
under1580
wooden1592
sordid1596
puisne1598
provant1601
subministrant1604
inferious1607
sublunary1624
indifferent1638
undermatched1642
unworthy1646
underly1648
turncoated1650
female1652
undergraduate1655
farandinical1675
baddishc1736
ungenerous1745
understrapping1762
tinnified1794
demi-semi1805
shabby1805
dicky1819
poor white1821
tin-pot1838
deterior1848
substandard1850
crumby1859
cheesy1863
po'1866
not-quite1867
rocky1873
mouldy1876
low-grade1878
sketchy1878
midget1879
junky1880
ullaged1892
abysmal1904
bodgie1905
junk1908
crap1936
ropy1941
bodger1945
two-star1951
tripey1955
manky1958
schlocky1960
cack1978
wank1991
bowf1994
society > authority > lack of strictness > [adjective]
largeda1382
softc1405
largea1450
laxc1450
remissa1500
milda1530
gentle1533
slender1577
relax1609
unconstraining1644
unoppressive1648
inoppressive1661
unaustere1741
undespotic1821
light-touch1949
1577 W. Harrison Descr. Eng. (1877) ii. i. i. 19 The slender demeanours of such negligent ministers.
1598 J. Manwood Treat. Lawes Forrest ii. f. 15v The slender and necligent execution of the Forrest Lawes.
6.
a. Of arguments, etc.: Lacking in cogency or conclusiveness; unconvincing.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > reason, faculty of reasoning > process of reasoning, ratiocination > [adjective] > marked by reason, well-reasoned > not
slender?1531
fine-drawn1887
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > reason, faculty of reasoning > lack of reasoning, illogicality > [adjective] > incongruous, inconsistent > of argument
slender?1531
inconsequent1627
?1531 J. Frith Disput. Purgatorye Prol. sig. a7v Manye of hys probacyons are so slender that they maye well be improued.
a1538 T. Starkey Dial. Pole & Lupset (1989) 18 Where as my resonys schal appere to you sklender & weke.
1638 F. Junius Painting of Ancients 15 This is a poore and slender argument.
1639 T. Fuller Hist. Holy Warre iii. xiii. 130 The proofs were as slender as the crimes grosse.
1759 B. Martin Nat. Hist. Eng. I. Wilts. 101 Though the Reasons alledged..be slender enough.
b. Having a slight foundation, ground, or justification.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > unreliability > [adjective] > insecure, weak
lithy1377
brucklea1400
flickering1430
queasy1459
weaka1538
infirm1557
slender1562
crazed1600
unsinewed1604
ticklish1606
touchy1620
crazied1652
flicketing1674
shaky1841
shackling1846
wonky1919
1562 N. Winȝet Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 52 Breuelie considering..thair titill to this thair supreme auctorite, I fand it..sclinder and licht.
1599 F. Thynne Animaduersions (1875) 15 This ys a slender coniecture; for, as honorable howses..haue borne as meane armes as Chaucer.
1780 H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Painting (ed. 2) IV. i. 35 England has very slender pretensions to this original and engaging painter.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. vi. 154 To the applause of the sincere friends of the Established Church Rochester had, indeed, very slender claims.
1886 C. E. Pascoe London of To-day (ed. 3) xxxv. 311 Some claim (generally of the slenderest kind).
7. † b. Of persons in respect of station or capacity.
a. Slight, small, insignificant, trifling.Used in a variety of contexts, some of which are here distinguished by separate groups of quotations. In some cases the sense approximates to that of 8.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > smallness of quantity, amount, or degree > [adjective] > small or trifling in amount or degree
eathlyc890
littleOE
slender1530
foolish1533
triflinga1538
paltry1565
puny?1594
mean1599
minikin1617
unconsiderable1643
inconsiderable1648
punctilio1660
sneaking1703
insignificant1748
flimsy1756
peppercornish1762
peppercorn1791
microscopic1798
pindling1861
midget1879
diddly1893
scroddyc1909
chickenshit1934
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > [adjective] > of little importance or trivial
eathlyc890
lighteOE
littleOE
small?c1225
singlec1449
easy1474
triflous1509
naughty1526
slender1530
slight1548
shrimpish1549
slipper1567
truanta1572
toyous1581
trivious1583
mean1585
silly1587
nicea1594
puny?1594
puisne1598
pusill1599
whindling1601
sapless1602
non-significant1603
poor1603
unsignificant1603
flea-bite1605
perishing1605
lank1607
weightless1610
fonda1616
penny farthing1615
triviala1616
unweighty1621
transitory1637
twattling1651
inconsiderate1655
unserious1655
nugal1656
small drink1656
slighty1662
minute1668
paddling1679
snitling1682
retail1697
Lilliputian1726
vain1731
rattletrap1760
peppercornish1762
peppercorn1791
underling1804
venial1806
lightweight1809
floccinaucical1826
small-bore1833
minified1837
trantlum1838
piffling1848
tea-tabular1855
potty1860
whipping-snapping1861
tea-gardeny1862
quiddling1863
twaddling1863
fidgeting1865
penny ante1865
feather-weighted1870
jerkwater1877
midget1879
mimsy1880
shirttail1881
two-by-four1885
footle1894
skittery1905
footery1929
Mickey Mouse1931
chickenshit1934
minoritized1945
marginal1952
marginalized1961
tea-party1961
little league1962
marginalizing1977
minnowy1991
the world > action or operation > ability > inability > [adjective] > unable or incompetent > of a person's qualities or productions
weakc1386
slender1530
(a)
(b)1536 T. Cromwell in R. B. Merriman Life & Lett. T. Cromwell (1902) II. 36 Their commencement of the same in such slendre and sleight sorte..hathe brought them furthe almost as slendre an answer.1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus at Tenuiter To reason..in a sklender style.1641 ‘Smectymnuus’ Vindic. Answer Hvmble Remonstr. §6. 77 But what a slender answer is this.1813 W. Scott Rokeby i. 9 Full slender answer deigned he To Oswald's anxious courtesy.(c)1542 N. Udall tr. Erasmus Apophthegmes f. 230 To receive nothyng but as though it had been a large and high benefite, wer it in deede never so slendre.1581 G. Pettie tr. S. Guazzo Ciuile Conuersat. (1586) i. A 5 b You will stand your Countrie but in slender stead..if you bee no schollers.1634 W. Tirwhyt tr. J. L. G. de Balzac Lett. 15 Princes are too poor, and their power too slender to afford them their full merit.1670 C. Cotton tr. G. Girard Hist. Life Duke of Espernon iii. xi. 572 The Wound..was not to be clos'd by so slender a Remedy.1779 J. Moore View Society & Manners France (1789) I. ii. 11 They generally afford but a slender entertainment.1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas I. i. xi. 97 The anticipation of my slenderest wishes was his..study.1837 F. Palgrave Merchant & Friar (1844) Ded. p. i A production possessing such slender attractions.a1866 G. Grote Fragm. Ethical Subj. (1876) iv. 96 A child feels that he has not the slenderest power of acting upon the fears of others.(d)1685 J. Scott Christian Life: Pt. II I. ii. 112 The slenderest probability will sway their Understanding to vote [etc.].a1704 T. Brown Ess. Late Politicks in 4th Vol. Wks. (1711) 102 The slender Prospect we have of Success in the War against France.1855 C. Kingsley Sir W. Raleigh in Misc. (1860) I. 80 Proof of what slender grounds there are for calling Raleigh ‘suspected’.1875 B. Jowett in tr. Plato Dialogues (ed. 2) V. 56 Their only hope, however slender, was in victory.1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 697/1 My wytte is to sklender to talke of so wayghty a mater.
1574 A. L. tr. Calvin Foure Serm. Song Ezechias D viij We haue not yet comprehended all, for our capacitie is to sclendre.
1688 G. Miege Great French Dict. ii. sig. Qqq/3 He has but slender Parts.
1738 tr. S. Guazzo Art of Conversat. 92 I shall have a special Regard to..those of a slender sense... I shall think I am speaking to Persons of weak Capacities.
1761 D. Hume Hist. Eng. II. xxxvi. 285 The duke..knew the slender capacity of Suffolk.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. ix. 496 A young man of slender abilities, loose principles, and violent temper.
1879 ‘G. Eliot’ Theophrastus Such i. 8 Attainable by the slenderest talent.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > [adjective] > of little importance or trivial > of people or animals
slender1548
silly1567
little old1572
1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Luke ii. f. 32 Be thei neuer so slender or lowe of degree.
1571 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin Psalmes of Dauid with Comm. (lxxii. 4) Not without cause dooth God take more charge of the slenderer sorte, whiche are moste subjecte too wrong and violence.
1651 Rec. Communion §7 The abler sort of people, for the good example of the slender ones.
8.
a. Small or limited in amount, number, range, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > insufficiency > [adjective] > limited in quantity or amount
narrowOE
poor?c1225
scarce1297
straitc1386
feeblea1513
scant1556
niggardly1564
slender1564
limited1590
scanted1594
sparing1602
scantled1604
stinted1629
exiguous1630
unlavished1635
scanty1658
unprofuse1727
costivea1734
incopious1734
niggard1751
jimp1768
skimped1839
stingy1854
restricted1856
niggard-measured1881
1564 N. Haward tr. Eutropius Briefe Chron. ii. sig. D.iiii Although their wealth and substaunce was as yet but very sclender.
1587 G. Turberville Tragicall Tales f. 83v A iewell of no slender price.
1633 T. Stafford Pacata Hibernia i. xiii. 80 This Armie is but very slender.
1660 F. Brooke tr. V. Le Blanc World Surveyed 373 In the plains then it never rains, all they ever have is a dew, which is so slender it never wets at all.
1748 B. Robins & R. Walter Voy. round World by Anson ii. iii. 150 Their stock of provisions..was extremely slender.
1752 D. Hume Ess. & Treat. (1777) I. 283 The land is rich, but coarse,..and produces slender crops.
1825 C. Lamb in London Mag. Apr. 513 Her slender earnings were the sole support of the family.
1852 W. M. Thackeray Henry Esmond II. iii. 42 Taking the young gentleman's slender baggage.
b. Of sounds: Weak, lacking in fullness.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > faintness or weakness > [adjective]
smalleOE
stillc1000
softc1230
dim1398
lowc1400
obscure?a1450
basea1500
remiss1530
indistinct1589
demiss1646
faint1660
murmurant1669
faintish1712
slender1785
under1806
unclamorous1849
1785 W. Cowper Task vi. 78 The redbreast warbles still, but is content With slender notes, and more than half suppress'd.
1820 W. Hazlitt Lect. Dramatic Lit. 48 A very callow brood, chirping their slender notes.
1858 N. Hawthorne Jrnl. 3 Oct. in French & Ital. Notebks. (1980) vi. 444 It gave one little, slender squeak.
1860 N. Hawthorne Marble Faun I. iv. 41 Hilda with her slender scream.
9. † a. Of poor quality; meagre; lacking ‘body’. Obsolete. rare.
ΚΠ
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 22 A slendar and leuell ground, subiect to the water, would be fyrst plowed in the ende of August.
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 45 The Pastures that lyes by the Lakes of Dumone..are but sclender.
b. Poorly supplied. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > non-possession > [adjective] > devoid of something > lacking or without > poorly supplied or equipped
barec1220
poora1250
leana1340
nakedc1380
indigent1426
wanting1592
slender1722
1722 A. Philips Briton i. iii 7 The good Ostorius often deigned To grace my slender Table.
10. As adv. In a slender manner; slightly. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > smallness of quantity, amount, or degree > [adverb] > to a small extent or slightly
lightlyeOE
liteOE
littleOE
a litec1290
smallc1300
softc1390
smally?a1425
slenderlya1513
hoverly1549
remissly1557
slender1581
not half1583
faintly1590
slightly1594
lankly1611
lowly1655
slight1671
nicely1698
weakly1775
sparingly1796
jimply1816
feebly1830
slightually1859
marginally1960
1581 R. Mulcaster Positions iv. 20 I could wishe the wittier child, the lesse vpon the spurre,..or the sklenderer kept at it.
1743 W. Ellis London & Country Brewer (ed. 2) II. 88 Pale Malt has certainly most of the Grain in it, as being slenderest dry'd, and is therefore most nourishing.
Compounds
C1. In specific uses, chiefly in the names of animals, fishes, plants, etc. (see quots.).Shaw (1802–4) also gives Slender Cæcilia, Fistularia, Hydrus, Snake, Sparus. Rennie (1832) has Slender Gold Tongue and Treble Bar as moth-names; also Livid, Nebulous, Rufous (etc.) Slender.
a. In the names of animals, fishes.
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1829 E. Griffith et al. Cuvier's Animal Kingdom VIII. 583 Slender Bill Tern, Sterna Tenuirostris.
1834 H. McMurtrie tr. G. Cuvier Animal Kingdom (abridged ed.) 50 The Lazy Monkeys..The second species is called the Slender Loris, Lemur gracilis.
1836 W. Yarrell Hist. Brit. Fishes I. 260 The Slender Goby, gobius gracilis.
1859 H. T. Stainton Man. Brit. Butterflies & Moths II. 1 Their ample wings, compared to the size of their bodies, have procured for them [sc. the Geometrina] the designation of Slender-bodies, by contrast with the Noctuina and Bombycina, termed Stout-bodied moths.
1865 J. Couch Hist. Fishes Brit. Islands IV. 216 Slender Salmon, Salmo gracilis.
1880 Cassell's Nat. Hist. I. 247 The Slender Loris is very common in the lower country of the south and east of Ceylon.
1893 R. Lydekker Royal Nat. Hist. I. 231 The Slender Loris..is the sole species of the genus to which it belongs.
1893 R. Lydekker Royal Nat. Hist. I. 469 In South Africa..we have also a much smaller species, the slender mungoose.
1893 R. Lydekker Royal Nat. Hist. I. 153 The Slender Sapajou (Cebus pallidus)..inhabiting Bolivia.
1894–5 R. Lydekker Royal Nat. Hist. III. 60 The slender dolphin is a spotted species from the Atlantic and the Cape of Good Hope.
1896 H. O. Forbes Hand-bk. Primates I. 208 The Slender Capuchin. Cebus flavus.
1896 R. Lydekker Royal Nat. Hist. V. 491 The earliest allies of the herring tribe seem to be the extinct slender-scales (Leptolepididæ).
b. In the names of plants.
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1855 A. Pratt Flowering Plants & Ferns Great Brit. V. 291 Thread Rush, or Slender Rush.
1855 A. Pratt Flowering Plants & Ferns Great Brit. V. 297 Slender Spreading Rush.
1859 A. Pratt Brit. Grasses & Sedges 23 Slender Cotton-grass.
1859 A. Pratt Brit. Grasses & Sedges 56 Slender Fox-tail.
1889 J. H. Maiden Useful Native Plants Austral. 71 Agrostis scabra, Slender Bent Grass.
1889 J. H. Maiden Useful Native Plants Austral. 95 Oplismenus setarius, Slender Panic Grass.
C2. General attributive.
a. Parasynthetic. Frequently in the specific names of animals, plants, etc. † slender-witted adj. Obsolete
slender-ankled adj.
slender-finned adj.
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1803 G. Shaw Gen. Zool. IV. ii. 306 Slender-finned Flounder.
slender-flowered adj.
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1796 W. Withering Arrangem. Brit. Plants (ed. 3) III. 699 Slender-flowered Thistle.
slender-footed adj.
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1826 W. Kirby & W. Spence Introd. Entomol. III. xxxii. 335 The slender-footed Cicindelidæ.
slender-jawed adj.
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1896 Guide Fossil Reptiles & Fishes Brit. Mus. 6 The old type of long and slender-jawed Teleosaurs.
slender-jointed adj.
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1851 G. A. Mantell Petrifactions ii. §2. 82 Numerous slender-jointed simple tentacula.
slender-leaved adj.
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1793 T. Martyn Lang. Bot. sig. S A slender-leaved plant.
1889 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Miner's Right III. xxix. 10 The foliage of the slender-leaved eucalypti showed a tinge of softer green.
slender-legged adj.
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1737 H. Bracken Farriery Improved xxxviii. 545 Colts, that are slender legg'd.
slender-limbed adj.
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1663 A. Cowley To Mr. Hobs in Pindaric Odes iv The Caspian, And slender-limb'd Mediterranean.
1894 Pop. Sc. Monthly XLIV. 500 These slender-limbed..Caucasians are..temperate.
slender-muzzled adj.
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1831 E. Griffith et al. Cuvier's Animal Kingdom IX. 104 The slender-muzzled Crocodile.
slender-nosed adj.
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1882 Contemp. Rev. Aug. 310 The slender-nosed rhinoceros.
slender-shafted adj.
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1872 Ld. Tennyson Gareth & Lynette 3 A slender-shafted Pine Lost footing, fell, and so was whirl'd away.
slender-spiked adj.
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1822 S. Clarke Hortus Anglicus II. 115 Slender-spiked Phryma.
slender-stalked adj.
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1822 S. Clarke Hortus Anglicus II. 401 Slender stalked Star Wort.
slender-stemmed adj.
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1858 N. Hawthorne French & Ital. Note-bks. (1872) I. 4 Slender-stemmed trees.
1882 S. H. Vines tr. J. von Sachs Text-bk. Bot. (ed. 2) 936 In the genus Vicia..all the slender-stemmed species have leaf-tendrils.
slender-striped adj.
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1832 J. Rennie Conspectus Butterflies & Moths Brit. 278/1 Slender-striped Rufous.
slender-tailed adj.
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1827 E. Griffith et al. Cuvier's Animal Kingdom V. 82 Pouched Bat and Slender-tailed Bat.
slender-toed adj.
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1827 E. Griffith et al. Cuvier's Animal Kingdom V. 126 (note) The Slender-toed Weasel.
slender-waisted adj.
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1711 London Gaz. No. 4891/4 A fair, clear skin'd Woman,..and slender Waisted.
1848 T. A. Buckley tr. Homer Iliad 425 Slender-waisted women.
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1647 J. Trapp Comm. Evangelists & Acts (Acts i. 18) Papias..was..a slender-witted man.
b. Adverbial, as slender-growing, slender-twined.
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1616 J. Hayward Sanctuarie Troubled Soule (1620) i. vii. 105 The slender-twined thred of this life.
1901 Gardeners' Chron. 16 Mar. 173/1 Cytisus filipes, a slender-growing species with tiny white flowers.
Draft additions July 2011
slender foxtail n. (more fully slender foxtail grass) a foxtail grass, Alopecurus myosuroides (formerly A. agrestis), common as a weed of cereal crops.
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1800 J. E. Smith Flora Britannica I. 73 Alopecurus agrestis... Slender Fox-tail-grass.
1894 Times 21 May 12/1 That most pestilent of weeds, the slender foxtail, blackbent, or hungerweed, alopecurus agrestis, is already in ear and flower in corn-fields.
1958 H. G. Sanders Outl. Brit. Crop Husbandry (ed. 3) 5 When the slender foxtail has germinated, the land may be cultivated,..and the young seedlings killed in vast numbers.
2002 Farmers Weekly (Nexis) 18 Oct. 62 The main weeds being slender foxtail, bent grass, cleavers and speedwell.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
slenderv.
a. transitive. To attenuate.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > shape > condition of being long in relation to breadth > slenderness > make slender [verb (transitive)]
attenuate1530
slender1559
tenuate1656
fine-draw1701
slim1862
slenderize1946
1559 P. Morwyng tr. C. Gesner Treasure of Euonymus 343 Thou maiest gather that whiche oyl strengtheneth, digesteth, and sclendereth.
1965 H. Porter Cats of Venice 81 These shape-gripping cheong sams had slendered them to elegance.
b. intransitive. To become narrower, to narrow. Also with down.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > shape > condition of being long in relation to breadth > slenderness > become slender [verb (intransitive)]
slender1871
1871 G. M. Hopkins Poems (1967) 13 And slendering to his burning rim Into the flat blue mist the sun Drops out and all our day is done.
1955 E. Bowen World of Love iii. 55 Her strong forearms, which slendered down..to the wrists.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online June 2019).
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adj.adv.a1400
v.1559