thinthin1 /θɪn/ ●●● S2 W2 adjective (comparative thinner, superlative thinnest) 
a thin gold chain She’s only wearing a thin summer jacket (=a jacket made of light material). two thin slices of bread The road was covered with a thin layer of ice. The skin on the eyelids is the thinnest on the body.paper/wafer thin (=very thin) Keep your voice down – the walls are paper thin.2not fat having little fat on your body OPP fat: He was tall and thin, with short brown hair.thin arms/legs/lips etc He has long thin hands. Most high school girls say they want to be thinner.as thin as a rake/rail/whippet (=very thin)3hair if someone has thin hair, they do not have a lot of hair: a thin straggly beard His hair is quite thin on top.4liquid a liquid that is thin flows very easily because it has a lot of water in it OPP thick: thin paint5smoke/mist smoke or mist that is thin is easy to see through OPP thick: The fog is quite thin in places.6air air that is thin is more difficult to breathe than usual because it has less oxygen in it: the thinner air high in the mountains7excuse/argument/evidence etc a thin excuse, argument, or evidence is not good or detailed enough to be useful or effective: Evidence that capital punishment deters crime is pretty thin.8a thin margin/majority etc a very small number or amount of something: Engle beat Blanchard by a razor-thin margin (=a very small number of votes) in the race for governor.9smile a thin smile does not seem very happy or sincere: Charlie gave her a thin smile.10voice/sound a thin voice or sound is high and unpleasant to listen to: His thin voice trailed off.11the thin end of the wedge British English spoken an expression meaning something that you think is the beginning of a harmful development: Workers believe the job cuts are just the thin end of the wedge.12be thin on the ground if a particular type of person or thing is thin on the ground, there are very few available: Taxis seem to be thin on the ground.13be having a thin time (of it) British English spoken to be in a difficult situation, especially one in which you do not have enough money14be (walking/treading/skating) on thin ice to be in a situation in which you are likely to upset someone or cause trouble: I was on thin ice, and I knew it.15disappear/vanish into thin air to disappear completely in a mysterious way: Victor and his kidnappers had vanished into thin air.16out of thin air out of nowhere, as if by magic: It seems like researchers have just pulled the numbers out of thin air. → wear1(6)—thinness noun [uncountable]THESAURUSpersonthin having little fat on your body: · a tall, thin manslim thin in an attractive way: · her slim figure· a slim woman in her fifties· Magazines are always full of advice about how to stay slim.slender written thin in an attractive and graceful way – used especially about parts of the body, and used especially about women: · her long, slender legs· She is slender, with very fair hair.lean thin and looking healthy and fit: · his lean body· He was lean and looked like a runner.skinny very thin in a way that is not attractive: · a skinny teenager· Your arms are so skinny!slight written thin and delicate: · a small, slight girl with big eyesscrawny /ˈskrɔːni $ ˈskrɒː-/ very thin, small, and weak-looking: · a scrawny kid in blue jeansunderweight below the usual weight for someone of your height, and therefore too thin: · He had no appetite and remained underweight.gaunt /ɡɔːnt $ ɡɒːnt/ written very thin and pale, especially because of illness or continued worry: · He looked gaunt and had not shaved for days.emaciated /ɪˈmeɪʃieɪtəd, -si-/ written extremely thin and weak, because you are ill or not getting enough to eat: · The tents were filled with emaciated refugees.skeletal written used about someone who is so thin that you can see the shape of their bones: · The soldiers were shocked by the skeletal figures of the camp’s prisoners.anorexic used about someone who is extremely thin because they have a mental illness that makes them stop eating: · Her daughter is anorexic.· anorexic teenagersobject/materialthin not wide: · a thin slice of cake· a thin layer of ice· The gold was very thin.slim thin, especially in a way that looks attractive: · a slim volume of poetry· a slim mobile phone· a slim wooden boxslender written tall or long and thin, in a way that looks attractive, but is often not very strong: · the slender columns that supported the roof· The spider was hanging by a slender thread.paper-thin/wafer-thin extremely thin, like paper: · The walls of the apartment were paper-thin.· wafer-thin slices of pastry· The petals are paper-thin.
WORD ORIGINthin1
Origin:
Old English thynneEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- "What do you want?" gasped Helen in a thin, frightened voice.
- a thin blue line
- a thin slice of bread
- a wire as thin as a human hair
- For these crepes you will need a fairly thin batter, so do not add too much flour.
- He's tall and thin and wears glasses.
- His hair's getting thin on top.
- How do you get your sugar cookies so thin, Dagmar?
- I'm afraid the evidence is really too thin as it stands. We need to investigate further.
- I was disappointed with your history essay, it seemed a little thin in terms of content.
- I wish my legs were thinner.
- In her pocket was a thin leather wallet containing six ten dollar bills.
- It was a chilly night, and he had only a thin blanket for warmth.
- Larry was tall and thin with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes.
- Martin wore a thin cotton shirt under his sweater.
- My curtains are too thin to keep the sun out.
- She looked pale, thin, and unhealthy.
- That's a pretty thin excuse - he could have gotten there if he'd really wanted to.
- The air is so thin up here I can hardly breathe.
- The lake was covered with a thin layer of ice.
- At sixteen, I was still very thin, unattractive, and underdeveloped.
- Both of them noticed with shock how alarmingly thin she was, frail to the point of vanishing.
- Her thick brown cotton stockings were bunched around her thin ankles, her legs were blue.
- If this showed their somewhat thin knowledge of my country, the compliment was returned.
- In fact, one of the features that sets the goat-antelopes apart from their relatives is the relatively thin and fragile skull.
- It is a cage, suspended from the ceiling by the thinnest of threads.
- The layers of paint are built up by the application of a thin wash, staining the primed canvas.
THESAURUSperson
having little fat on your body: · a tall, thin man
thin in an attractive way: · her slim figure· a slim woman in her fifties· Magazines are always full of advice about how to stay slim.
written thin in an attractive and graceful way – used especially about parts of the body, and used especially about women: · her long, slender legs· She is slender, with very fair hair.
thin and looking healthy and fit: · his lean body· He was lean and looked like a runner.
very thin in a way that is not attractive: · a skinny teenager· Your arms are so skinny!
written thin and delicate: · a small, slight girl with big eyes
very thin, small, and weak-looking: · a scrawny kid in blue jeans
below the usual weight for someone of your height, and therefore too thin: · He had no appetite and remained underweight.
written very thin and pale, especially because of illness or continued worry: · He looked gaunt and had not shaved for days.
written extremely thin and weak, because you are ill or not getting enough to eat: · The tents were filled with emaciated refugees.
written used about someone who is so thin that you can see the shape of their bones: · The soldiers were shocked by the skeletal figures of the camp’s prisoners.
used about someone who is extremely thin because they have a mental illness that makes them stop eating: · Her daughter is anorexic.· anorexic teenagers
object/material not wide: · a thin slice of cake· a thin layer of ice· The gold was very thin.
thin, especially in a way that looks attractive: · a slim volume of poetry· a slim mobile phone· a slim wooden box
written tall or long and thin, in a way that looks attractive, but is often not very strong: · the slender columns that supported the roof· The spider was hanging by a slender thread.
extremely thin, like paper: · The walls of the apartment were paper-thin.· wafer-thin slices of pastry· The petals are paper-thin.
Longman Language Activatorthin having very little fat on the body: · Larry was tall and thin with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes.· She looked pale, thin, and unhealthy.· I wish my legs were thinner.
thin, delicate, often weak-looking, and usually not very tall: · Yoshida is a slight, quiet man with a grey beard.· a small, slight child with delicate-looking features
thin in an attractive way · She was tall, slim, blond, and really good-looking.· Mrs Ester was in her late thirties, about average height, with a slim figure.· You're looking slimmer - have you lost weight?stay slim · She looks great -- how does she stay so slim?
thin in an attractive and graceful way: · Gabriel was a tall slender young man with a light brown moustache.· Mandy was slender and very fair with long golden hair.· She had long, slender expressive hands, like a concert pianist.
a woman or girl who is willowy is attractively tall and thin in a graceful way -- used especially in romantic novels: · In contrast to Francesca, who was tall and willowy, Diana was small and curvy.· Anastasia was willowy and graceful, with grey eyes and long, straight red hair.
thin and strong-looking thin and physically fit, especially because you do a lot of exercise or physical work: · He's a very handsome man: tall, lean and tanned with thick blond hair.· At seventy-two my grandfather was lean and strong and I expected him to live forever.· She had a runner's lean physique and an overall healthy glow.
a man or boy who is wiry is thin and strong, though often not very tall: · Father Vic was a wiry man in his late forties with a sharp nose and deep-set eyes.· a wiry little Broadway show dancer from Puerto Rico
thin in a way that is not attractive · a skinny kid with glasses· I was really skinny when I was a teenager.· Jacob placed his arm around her skinny shoulders.
a person or animal that is bony is extremely thin, so that the shape of their bones can be seen: · Now that she was older, Jean's bony fingers and wrists were too small for her jewelry.· When I picked up the cat it felt as bony as a skeleton.· Kinsit, a naturally small woman with a thin, bony face, found gaining weight difficult.
small, thin, unattractive, and weak-looking, especially because your body has not grown enough: · Last time I saw him he was a scrawny kid in Levi's and a dirty T-shirt.· A few scrawny chickens were searching for scraps of food in the dry earth.
too thin in a way that is unhealthy someone who is emaciated is extremely thin because of hunger or serious illness and may die soon: · News came of the famine, and there were pictures of emaciated children on the TV.· Towards the end of his life he looked emaciated, his cheeks hollow and his eyes sunken.
informal to be extremely thin in an unattractive and unhealthy way: be nothing but/no more than skin and bone: · When she died she was nothing but skin and bone.be just/practically skin and bone: · The poor dog was practically skin and bone.
someone who is underweight weighs less than they should and is therefore unhealthy -- used especially in a medical context: · The doctor says that I'm underweight and has put me on a special diet.· Women who consume large amounts of caffeine are more likely to give birth to underweight babies.
having a thin face because you are very worried, tired etc thin and unhappy-looking because of tiredness, illness, or worry: · Her face was pale and drawn, and she seemed to have been crying.· When Jack arrived he sat down slowly, his face drawn, with beads of sweat on his forehead.look drawn (=have a drawn expression on your face): · The doctor came out, looking drawn and exhausted.
extremely thin and pale, especially because you have been very ill or worried or because you have been working too hard: · When I visited him in hospital Albert looked terrible -- his face was gaunt and his hair had turned grey.· The District Attorney at forty-four had the gaunt look of a man twenty years older.
to become thinner to become thinner, either because you have been ill or because you want to look more attractive, be healthier etc: · The best way to lose weight is to eat less and do lots of exercise.· I'm really worried about my grandmother -- she's lost a lot of weight recently.lose three kilos/five pounds etc: · Alec lost seven pounds in a week and had to be re-admitted to the hospital.
to eat less food than usual, or to eat only certain foods, because you want to become thinner and weigh less: · "Would you like some chocolate?" "No thanks, I'm on a diet."go on a diet (=start to be on a diet): · We're both going on a diet after Christmas.
especially British to become thinner, especially by eating less and doing more exercise: · She's really slimmed down a lot since I last saw her.slim down to eight stone/100 pounds etc: · He's trying to slim down to eleven stone.
to lose a particular amount of weight quickly: · I'd like to shed a few pounds.· Stone's doctor ordered him to shed some weight and quit smoking.· Gascoigne has shed nearly 6 kilos in pre-season training and looks much fitter.
to become dangerously thin and weak, usually as a result of illness: · There was nothing we could do -- she just wasted away and within six weeks she was dead.· His muscles were slowly wasting away because of his illness.
flat and thin · a thin slice of bread· In her pocket was a thin leather wallet containing six ten dollar bills.· The lake was covered with a thin layer of ice.· How do you get your sugar cookies so thin, Dagmar?
extremely thin - use this about thin pieces of food or about walls that are very thin: · paper-thin slices of raw beef· The walls in this apartment are paper-thin; I can hear everything they're saying next door.
a book, box etc that is slim is thin in an attractive way and usually of good quality: · Claude gave me a slim gold box for holding my business cards.· a slim volume of poetry
long and thin · The roof is supported by thin iron columns.· a thin blue line· a wire as thin as a human hair
a stem, stick etc that is slender is long and thin in a graceful, attractive way: · The pictures are held in place by three slender brass rods.· slender white candles· A spider was hanging from a slender thread.
words for describing thin material · Martin wore a thin cotton shirt under his sweater.· It was a chilly night, and he had only a thin blanket for warmth.
very thin, delicate, and usually of good quality: · fine china· a fine chiffon veil with embroidered edges
clothes that are light or lightweight are thin and not very warm: · She took a light sweater, in case it was cool outside.· In a warm climate people wear loose, lightweight clothing.· I don't think it'll be that cold - do you have anything more lightweight?
too thin and light, use this about clothes or material that you can easily see through or that do not protect your body: · It was impossible for me to sleep under a single flimsy blanket on such a cold night.· flimsy underwear
to become thinner · Rubber gets thinner if you stretch it.· The line of smoke grew thinner and thinner as it drifted up into the sky.
if something long and thin tapers , it gets gradually thinner at one end: taper to: · The walls are 7 feet thick at the base and taper to 28 inches at the top.taper off (=taper and come to an end): · The human spine tapers off at its base.
not containing enough details something that is vague is not clear because it does not provide enough details: · Dave's instructions were rather vague.· I had heard vague rumours that they were getting married.
something that is sketchy is not thorough or complete enough because it lacks details: · It would be very unwise to change our policy on the basis of such a sketchy report.· I'm afraid my knowledge of the subject is rather sketchy.
a piece of information or a description that is thin is not detailed enough to be useful or effective: · I was disappointed with your history essay, it seemed a little thin in terms of content.· I'm afraid the evidence is really too thin as it stands. We need to investigate further.
a liquid that flows easily a thin liquid flows very easily - use this about liquids that are often thick: · The paint was too thin, and was dripping everywhere.· For these crepes you will need a fairly thin batter, so do not add too much flour.
informal food that is runny is liquid but should be thicker than it is: · a boiled egg with a runny yolk· runny custard
food or drink that is watery contains too much water, so that it does not taste or look good: · The coffee is horrible - really weak and watery.· All they had to eat for weeks was bread and watery cabbage soup.
WORD SETSbackwater, nounbank, nounbank, verbbare, adjectivebarrier reef, nounbay, nounbayou, nounbeach, nounbeck, nounbelt, nounbillow, nounbiting, adjectivebitter, adjectiveblack ice, nounblast, nounblazing, adjectivebleach, verbblizzard, nounblow, verbblowy, adjectivebluff, nounbluster, verbblustery, adjectivebog, nounboiling, adjectiveboulder, nounbracing, adjectivebreaker, nounbreeze, nounbreezy, adjectivebrook, nounbrush, nounbrushwood, nounburn, nounbutte, nouncanyon, nouncascade, nouncataract, nouncave, nouncavern, nounchange, verbchasm, nounchoppy, adjectiveclap, nounclear, verbclement, adjectivecliff, nouncloud, nouncloudburst, nouncloudy, adjectivecoast, nouncoastal, adjectivecoastline, nouncone, nouncopse, nouncountry, nouncranny, nouncrater, nouncreation, nouncreep, verbcrisp, adjectivecrosswind, nouncumulus, nouncyclone, noundale, noundell, noundense, adjectivedew, noundewdrop, noundewfall, noundewy, adjectivedisgorge, verbdog days, noundownpour, noundownriver, adverbdownstream, adverbdownwind, adverbdrift, verbdrift, noundriftwood, noundrizzle, noundrop, verbdrop, noundrought, noundry, adjectivedry land, noundull, adjectivedune, nounduster, noundust storm, nouneast, adjectiveeddy, nounelectrical storm, nounequable, adjectiveeye, nounface, nounfail, verbfair, adjectivefall, nounfell, nounfen, nounfield, nounfierce, adjectivefiord, nounfirth, nounfjord, nounflood, verbflood, nounflood tide, nounflotsam, nounflow, nounflow, verbflower, nounflurry, nounfog, nounfogbound, adjectivefoggy, adjectivefoothill, nounfoothold, nounford, nounforeshore, nounforest, nounfoul, adjectivefreak, adjectivefreeze, nounfresh, adjectivefreshen, verbfreshwater, adjectivefrost, nounfury, noungale, noungale force, adjectivegap, noungentle, adjectivegeyser, nounglacial, adjectiveglen, noungnarled, adjectivegrassy, adjectivegreen, adjectivegreenery, nounground, nounground level, noungulley, noungully, noungust, noungust, verbgusty, adjectivehail, nounhailstone, nounhailstorm, nounhaze, nounheadwind, nounheath, nounheather, nounheat wave, nounhigh tide, nounhigh water, nounhill, nounhillock, nounhillside, nounhill station, nounhilly, adjectivehoarfrost, nounhot spring, nounhummock, nounhurricane, nounice, nouniceberg, nounice cap, nouninclement, adjectiveincline, nounIndian summer, nouninland, adjectiveinland, adverbinlet, nouninshore, adverbisland, nounisle, nounislet, nounjetsam, nounjungle, nounknoll, nounlake, nounlakeside, adjectiveledge, nounlightning, nounlip, nounloch, nounlough, nounlow tide, nounlow water, nounmarshland, nounmeadow, nounmere, nounmild, adjectivemillpond, nounmire, nounmist, nounmisty, adjectivemoan, verbmoan, nounmonsoon, nounmoonless, adjectivemoor, nounmoorland, nounMother Nature, nounmound, nounmountain, nounmountainous, adjectivemountainside, nounmountaintop, nounmouth, nounmudflat, nounmull, nounmurmur, verbmurmur, nounnarrows, nounnestle, verbnew moon, nounnook, nounnorth, adjectivenortheast, adjectivenortheaster, nounnortheasterly, adjectivenortherly, adjectivenorthwest, adjectivenorthwester, nounnorthwesterly, adjectivenotch, nounoasis, nounonshore, adjectiveooze, nounoutcrop, nounovercast, adjectiveozone, nounpack ice, nounpalisade, nounpanorama, nounparch, verbparched, adjectivepass, nounpatchy, adjectivepeak, nounpeal, nounpeasouper, nounpebble, nounpelt, verbpenumbra, nounperishing, adjectivepinewood, nounpinnacle, nounpitiless, adjectivepond, nounpour, verbprecipice, nounprospect, nounpuddle, nounquicksand, nounradiate, verbraging, adjectiverain, nounrainbow, nounrain drop, nounrainfall, nounrainstorm, nounrainwater, nounrainy, adjectiverange, nounrapids, nounrarefied, adjectiveravine, nounraw, adjectiverecede, verbreedy, adjectivereef, nounreservoir, nounridge, nounrift, nounrime, nounrise, verbrise, nounrock, nounrocky, adjectiveroll, verbrolling, adjectiverough, adjectiverural, adjectivescenery, nounscud, verbsea breeze, nounsea mist, nounset, verbshore, nounsky, nounslope, nounsludge, nounsnow, nounsnowbound, adjectivesnow-capped, adjectivesnowdrift, nounsnowfall, nounsnowflake, nounsnowstorm, nounsnowy, adjectivesouth, adjectivesoutheast, adjectivesoutheaster, nounsoutheasterly, adjectivesoutherly, adjectivesouthwest, adjectivesouthwesterly, adjectivespinney, nounspring, nounstream, nounsullen, adjectivesultry, adjectivesummer, nounsummit, nounsun, nounsundown, nounsun-drenched, adjectivesunrise, nounsunset, nounsunshine, nounswamp, nounsweep, verbswollen, adjectivetempestuous, adjectivethaw, verbthaw, nounthicket, nounthin, adjectivethunder, verbthunderbolt, nounthunderstorm, nounthundery, adjectivetide, nountreeless, adjectivetree-lined, adjectivetrough, nounturf, nountussock, nountwilight, nounvale, nounvalley, nounverdant, adjectivevisibility, nounvoid, nounwashout, nounwater, nounwatercourse, nounwaterfall, nounwaterside, nounwaterspout, nounwax, verbwest, adjectivewest, adverbwestbound, adjectivewesterly, adjectivewesternmost, adjectivewestward, adverbwet, adjectivewhirlpool, nounwhirlwind, nounwhite horses, nounwhitewater, nounwild, adjectivewill o' the wisp, nounwind, nounwindstorm, nounwindswept, adjectivewindy, adjectivewood, nounwooded, adjectivewoodland, nounwoodsy, adjectivewoody, adjectivezephyr, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY He has long thin hands. The moon was shining through a thin layer of cloud. Jean has stuck by her husband through thick and thin. Then, families stuck together through thick and thin. She seemed to have just vanished into thin air (=suddenly disappeared in a very mysterious way). A thin veneer of politeness hid Lady Bride’s growing anger. His jeans have worn thin at the knees. The film begins well but the joke wears thin after about ten minutes.
(=very thin) Keep your voice down – the walls are paper thin.
Keep your voice down – the walls are paper thin. He has long thin hands. (=very thin)
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=there is less oxygen because you are in a high place)· People cannot live up there because the air is too thin and there is not enough oxygen to breathe.
· He had the thin build of a long-distance runner.
· a thin cotton dress
(=completely)· The money he made has disappeared into thin air.
· Tears rolled down her thin face.
(=becoming thinner because you are losing your hair)· His dark hair was thinning on top.
· The ice is too thin to skate on.
The moon was shining through a thin layer of cloud. (=having lips that are thin, or large and round)
(=with thin lips)· a woman with a sharp nose and a thin mouth
(=they are becoming angry)· People's patience is wearing thin as the queues for visas get longer.
· She put her arm around the girl’s thin shoulders.
· Serve it with thin slices of bread and butter.
(=not deep)· The thin soil is easily washed away.
Jean has stuck by her husband through thick and thin. Then, families stuck together through thick and thin. She seemed to have just vanished into thin air (=suddenly disappeared in a very mysterious way). A thin veneer of politeness hid Lady Bride’s growing anger. His jeans have worn thin at the knees. The film begins well but the joke wears thin after about ten minutes.· Use a piece of fine wire to clear the obstruction.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· But there were hollows in her cheeks and she was too thin for beauty.· According to the Duchess of Windsor, one can never be too rich or too thin.· Moscow's real forces on the ground were too thin and too preoccupied with the Civil War.· If too thin, add a bit more flour.· Prices were too high in the Aberdeen area and, once again, people too thin on the ground on the West Coast.· The resources were too thin and the natives were too resistant.· Examine under the phase microscope and if it is too thin, spin down again and remove some of the fixative.· The pasta was rolled a little too thin.
· That does not say much for the top chasers of the day, which are very thin on the ground.· Over six feet tall, he weighed 120 pounds and was a very thin man.· It is built up in very thin washes.· At sixteen, I was still very thin, unattractive, and underdeveloped.· In his dark-brown suit, he looked tall and very thin, and he wore a brown toupee and small rim1ess glasses.· She was short - not much more than five feet tall - and very thin, like most of the people here.· When I was in high school, I was always very thin.
NOUN· The beginner normally learns combination techniques by performing them against thin air.· One thing Galarraga should consider before he makes the move: The thin air in Denver has been good to him.· The interior was gloomy; tobacco smoke hung motionless in the thin air.· He was nestling within thin air and cinders.· You can tell these mysterious trails were not made yesterday, because of the way they seem to disappear into thin air.· He found rhymes irresistible, and produced them out of thin air, just for the fun of it.· Too late she remembered about the steep bank behind her and stepped into thin air.· Radio is an underrated medium because everything we do evaporates into thin air.
· The very thin cotton called voile is excellent when pleated.· They keep their legs slightly apart so as not ro bruise the boils under their too short dresses and thin cotton underpants.· The thin cotton pyjamas could not conceal his aroused state.· I prefer to make my own, using thin cotton string.· His touch seemed to burn her through the thin cotton of her white blouse.· The thin cotton of his pyjamas did nothing to cushion the discomfort of the wicker scraping his bony body.
· I'd forgotten what a thin face Dad had got - how old he was.· In the back seat a thin face stared ahead.· It was a thin face, but clear and alert.· By contrast, the eyes showed light in her thin face.· All he saw was his thin face, a soft down forming on his forehead, his sunken, fearful eyes.· His thin face was yellowish-white and his whole body seemed somehow diminished.· Of indeterminate age, he had moist grey eyes set in a pale, thin face.
· And that's fairly thin ice on which to skate one's credibility!· The ground is frozen, thin ice covers the puddles between the furrows of the empty gray field.· It had been granted grudgingly and she knew she was on thin ice as far as her superiors were concerned.· Bush had the look of thin ice.· He was on thin ice before.· Notices warning of the dangers of thin ice were put up in the last few days when the lake froze over.
· Thick or thin lines of paint or a sprayed effect can be obtained.· The parade continued on Fifth Avenue, but only a thin line of onlookers remained to watch.· There was a thin line of light at the bottom edge.· Ellen could visualize the puckers of thin lines forming between her wide-spaced eyes.· The middle of the road was a thin line that disappeared.· I want them to understand there can be a thin line between work and play.· And there was in practice a very thin line between peaceful protest and the other variety.· His lips were compressed into a thin line as he awaited some explanation.
· Paler, shiny colours help thin lips look more full.· His dark skin glistens, his slanted eyes above his high cheekbones are cruel, his thin lips are determined.· She has a narrow face, deep-set eyes, sharp nose and thin lips.· His spare middle-aged frame is topped by a large head with sallow cheeks, thin lips, and receding chin.· They were humanoids: short, Caucasian but hairless, with thin lips and bulging black eyes.· An emaciated fellow with jet black hair, thin lips and large brooding eyes caught the friar's eye.· She looked up from her Tarot cards as Topaz approached, her thin lips tightening.· Her thin lip curled in a rare smile - one might say she had been pursuing her own studies.
· The thin sheet of paper inside was a receipt.· Even a thin sheet of card, or a foot of air, will absorb a good proportion.· The minute particles in the rock have been flattened with the result that the slate splits easily into thin sheets.· Surround meat with thin sheets of fat and tie into A place before roasting.· There were mattresses but no blankets, only thin sheets.· He was curious to investigate what would happen if he passed the Alphas through an exceptionally thin sheet of material.· Dacron Thermoline: solid structure polyester fibre bonded into a thin sheet.· These are sold in very thin sheets that can be cut to the desired size, filled, sealed and boiled.
· McCaffrey is also notorious for his thin skin, which may explain why he has studiously avoided public debate.· The present land surface is a thin skin on top of a thick record of the past preserved in the rocks.· As they get older they tend to have very thin skin and can bruise from the slightest injury.· There was water at the bottom covered by a thin skin of ice and he splashed into it face first.· Clean thin skin, with shallow eyes. 3.· With no work to do, the hangers-on become feeble, with thin skins and mouths reduced to tubes.· They can not breed without water, and their thin skins must be kept moist or they will dehydrate and die.· If only I had a duck's back instead of wafer thin skin.
· Again, all will contain some cream, but a thin slice should do little harm.· Layer into a bowl, alternating with thin slices of onion and a little salt and pepper.· A roster for crusts had to be started as these contained more bread than the average thin slice.· Cut the mushrooms into thin slices.· Carve thin slices vertically, then repeat.· Narbutas looked closely at the corners, where two thin slices of granite met.· A spokeswoman from Asda suggested a thin slice of creamy Wensleydale cheese to turn mince pies into a gourmet treat.· Further trimming can be carried out on smaller diamond saws, which are capable of producing thin slices.
· Above that is a thin veneer of hard cases, who continue offending into their twenties.· Under this thin veneer of modesty lies a monster of greed.· By this he means acquiring a thin veneer of knowledge to mask his corruption.· I was afraid alcohol would eat through the thin veneer of self-control.· A thin veneer of cork is bonded of a painted backing shows through in places to create a two-colour finish.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► the thin end of the wedge► be having a thin time (of it)► a thin margin/majority etcPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► be skating on thin ice
- Magazines about home improvement were very thin on the ground at the time - not like now.
- Our only problem is finding staff, because good programmers are really thin on the ground.
- By the mid-1970s, managers and executives in the late 30s to late 40s age group were thin on the ground.
- Even now, as in the beginning, women are thin on the ground in the service.
- Hard evidence is thin on the ground, and what there is, is not encouraging.
- Major launches were thin on the ground.
- New textbooks on nuclear and particle physics are thin on the ground.
- Not surprisingly, business news was thin on the ground.
- Systems integrators and resellers are thin on the ground, and there is little home-grown technology.
- The cabs were thinner on the ground now, so I kept a couple of cars between us.
- He was on thin ice before.
- It had been granted grudgingly and she knew she was on thin ice as far as her superiors were concerned.
- As happened during and after the first war of independence, the money has disappeared into thin air.
- It was almost as if he'd vanished into thin air.
- Maybe each and every one of them had vanished into thin air.
- The Cheshire cat is an odd character and he causes confusion when he literally disappears into thin air.
- The money which has suddenly and mysteriously become available simply vanishes into thin air as Ruggiero Miletti magically reappears.
- Victor and his kidnappers had disappeared into thin air.
- Yet he seemed to disappear into thin air.
- You can tell these mysterious trails were not made yesterday, because of the way they seem to disappear into thin air.
- He found rhymes irresistible, and produced them out of thin air, just for the fun of it.
- Ray picks a number out of thin air -- generally below wholesale -- and the deal is done.
- The juice landed on the floor like a red bubbly snake, a bad omen suddenly materializing out of thin air.
- Legally, the company is on very thin ice with its actions.
- You're skating on thin ice, showing up late for work every day.
- He was on thin ice before.
- It had been granted grudgingly and she knew she was on thin ice as far as her superiors were concerned.
- Years of price wars, for example, have created razor-thin margins in personal computers.
- Some people have thick skins, others have thin ones and are more easily hurt.
- Perhaps the managerial talent that was responsible for the steady growth is spread too thin.
- Some one must lose, even if the losses are spread thinly.
- The ointment should be spread thinly on the bruised areas.
- BHart said the organization, though well-intentioned, might be spreading itself too thin.
- I'm so grateful to Barb- she's supported me through thick and thin.
- The old pull of party allegiance, support for your party through thick and thin, is fading.
- The joke about prudence is wearing thin.
WORD FAMILYnounthinnessthinneradjectivethinthinningverbthinadverbthinly
1not thick if something is thin, there is only a small distance between its two opposite sides or surfaces OPP thick: a thin gold chain She’s only wearing a thin summer jacket (=a jacket made of light material). two thin slices of bread The road was covered with a thin layer of ice. The skin on the eyelids is the thinnest on the body.paper/wafer thin (=very thin) Keep your voice down – the walls are paper thin.2not fat having little fat on your body OPP fat: He was tall and thin, with short brown hair.thin arms/legs/lips etc He has long thin hands. Most high school girls say they want to be thinner.as thin as a rake/rail/whippet (=very thin)3hair if someone has thin hair, they do not have a lot of hair: a thin straggly beard His hair is quite thin on top.4liquid a liquid that is thin flows very easily because it has a lot of water in it OPP thick: thin paint5smoke/mist smoke or mist that is thin is easy to see through OPP thick: The fog is quite thin in places.6air air that is thin is more difficult to breathe than usual because it has less oxygen in it: the thinner air high in the mountains7excuse/argument/evidence etc a thin excuse, argument, or evidence is not good or detailed enough to be useful or effective: Evidence that capital punishment deters crime is pretty thin.8a thin margin/majority etc a very small number or amount of something: Engle beat Blanchard by a razor-thin margin (=a very small number of votes) in the race for governor.9smile a thin smile does not seem very happy or sincere: Charlie gave her a thin smile.10voice/sound a thin voice or sound is high and unpleasant to listen to: His thin voice trailed off.11the thin end of the wedge British English spoken an expression meaning something that you think is the beginning of a harmful development: Workers believe the job cuts are just the thin end of the wedge.12be thin on the ground if a particular type of person or thing is thin on the ground, there are very few available: Taxis seem to be thin on the ground.13be having a thin time (of it) British English spoken to be in a difficult situation, especially one in which you do not have enough money14be (walking/treading/skating) on thin ice to be in a situation in which you are likely to upset someone or cause trouble: I was on thin ice, and I knew it.15disappear/vanish into thin air to disappear completely in a mysterious way: Victor and his kidnappers had vanished into thin air.16out of thin air out of nowhere, as if by magic: It seems like researchers have just pulled the numbers out of thin air. → wear1(6)—thinness noun [uncountable]THESAURUSpersonthin having little fat on your body: · a tall, thin manslim thin in an attractive way: · her slim figure· a slim woman in her fifties· Magazines are always full of advice about how to stay slim.slender written thin in an attractive and graceful way – used especially about parts of the body, and used especially about women: · her long, slender legs· She is slender, with very fair hair.lean thin and looking healthy and fit: · his lean body· He was lean and looked like a runner.skinny very thin in a way that is not attractive: · a skinny teenager· Your arms are so skinny!slight written thin and delicate: · a small, slight girl with big eyesscrawny /ˈskrɔːni $ ˈskrɒː-/ very thin, small, and weak-looking: · a scrawny kid in blue jeansunderweight below the usual weight for someone of your height, and therefore too thin: · He had no appetite and remained underweight.gaunt /ɡɔːnt $ ɡɒːnt/ written very thin and pale, especially because of illness or continued worry: · He looked gaunt and had not shaved for days.emaciated /ɪˈmeɪʃieɪtəd, -si-/ written extremely thin and weak, because you are ill or not getting enough to eat: · The tents were filled with emaciated refugees.skeletal written used about someone who is so thin that you can see the shape of their bones: · The soldiers were shocked by the skeletal figures of the camp’s prisoners.anorexic used about someone who is extremely thin because they have a mental illness that makes them stop eating: · Her daughter is anorexic.· anorexic teenagersobject/materialthin not wide: · a thin slice of cake· a thin layer of ice· The gold was very thin.slim thin, especially in a way that looks attractive: · a slim volume of poetry· a slim mobile phone· a slim wooden boxslender written tall or long and thin, in a way that looks attractive, but is often not very strong: · the slender columns that supported the roof· The spider was hanging by a slender thread.paper-thin/wafer-thin extremely thin, like paper: · The walls of the apartment were paper-thin.· wafer-thin slices of pastry· The petals are paper-thin.