thin

[ thin ]

/ θɪn /

adjective, thin·ner, thin·nest.

having relatively little extent from one surface or side to the opposite; not thick: thin ice.

of small cross section in comparison with the length; slender: a thin wire.

having little flesh; spare; lean: a thin man.

composed of or containing objects, particles, etc., widely separated; sparse: thin vegetation.

scant; not abundant or plentiful.

of relatively slight consistency or viscosity: thin soup.

rarefied, as air.

without solidity or substance; flimsy: a very thin plot for such a long book.

lacking fullness or volume; weak and shrill: a thin voice.

without force or a sincere effort: a thin smile.

lacking body, richness, or strength: a thin wine.

lacking in chroma; of light tint.

Photography. (of a developed negative) lacking in density or contrast through underdevelopment or underexposure.

adverb

in a thin manner.

sparsely; not densely.

so as to produce something thin: Slice the ham thin.

verb (used with object), thinned, thin·ning.

to make thin or thinner (often followed by down, out, etc.).

verb (used without object), thinned, thin·ning.

to become thin or thinner; become reduced or diminished (often followed by down, out, off, etc.): The crowd is thinning out.

Origin of thin

before 900; (adj. and adv.) Middle English thyn(ne), Old English thynne; cognate with Dutch dun, German dünn, Old Norse thunnr; (v.) Middle English thynnen, Old English thynnian, derivative of the adj.; compare Middle Dutch dunnen, Old Norse thynna; akin to Old Irish tana, Latin tenuis thin, Greek tany- long

SYNONYMS FOR thin

3 slim, slender, skinny, lank, scrawny. Thin, gaunt, lean, spare agree in referring to one having little flesh. Thin applies often to one in an unnaturally reduced state, as from sickness, overwork, lack of food, or the like: a thin, dirty little waif. Gaunt suggests the angularity of bones prominently displayed in a thin face and body: to look ill and gaunt. Lean usually applies to a person or animal that is naturally thin: looking lean but healthy after an outdoor vacation. Spare implies a muscular leanness with no diminution of vitality: Lincoln was spare in body.

5 meager.

8 weak.

OTHER WORDS FROM thin

thin·ly, adverb thin·ness, noun o·ver·thin, adjective o·ver·thin·ly, adverb

o·ver·thin·ness, noun self-thin·ning, adjective su·per·thin, adjective un·thinned, adjective un·thin·ning, adjective

Words nearby thin

thimbleweed, thimblewit, thimbu, thimerosal, thimphu, thin, thin as a rail, thin client, thin edge of the wedge, thin film, thin on top

Example sentences from the Web for self-thinning

By the time lodge-poles are sixty years of age their self-thinning has made openings in their crowded ranks.

The Rocky Mountain Wonderland |Enos A. Mills

British Dictionary definitions for self-thinning

thin

/ (θɪn) /

adjective thinner or thinnest

of relatively small extent from one side or surface to the other; fine or narrow

slim or lean

sparsely placed; meagre thin hair

of relatively low density or viscosity a thin liquid

weak; poor; insufficient a thin disguise

(of a photographic negative) having low density, usually insufficient to produce a satisfactory positive

mountaineering a climb or pitch on which the holds are few and small

thin on the ground few in number; scarce

adverb

in order to produce something thin to cut bread thin

verb thins, thinning or thinned

to make or become thin or sparse

Derived forms of thin

thinly, adverb thinness, noun

Word Origin for thin

Old English thynne; related to Old Frisian thenne, Old Saxon, Old High German thunni, Old Norse thunnr, Latin tenuis thin, Greek teinein to stretch

Idioms and Phrases with self-thinning

thin

In addition to the idioms beginning with thin

thin as a rail
thin edge of the wedge
thing or two
things are looking up
thin on top

also see:

into thin air
on thin ice
spread oneself too thin
through thick and thin
wear thin

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

thin

adjective, thin·ner, thin·nest.

adverb

verb (used with object), thinned, thin·ning.

verb (used without object), thinned, thin·ning.

Origin of thin

SYNONYMS FOR thin

OTHER WORDS FROM thin

Words nearby thin

Example sentences from the Web for self-thinning

British Dictionary definitions for self-thinning

adjective thinner or thinnest

adverb

verb thins, thinning or thinned

Derived forms of thin

Word Origin for thin

Idioms and Phrases with self-thinning

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

thin

adjective, thin·ner, thin·nest.

adverb

verb (used with object), thinned, thin·ning.

verb (used without object), thinned, thin·ning.

Origin of thin

SYNONYMS FOR thin

OTHER WORDS FROM thin

Words nearby thin

Example sentences from the Web for self-thinning

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for self-thinning

adjective thinner or thinnest

adverb

verb thins, thinning or thinned

Derived forms of thin

Word Origin for thin

Idioms and Phrases with self-thinning

British Dictionary definitions for self-thinning