thick

be as thick as thieves (old-fashioned)

if two people are thick as thieves, they are close friends. I'm sure she tells Ruth what's going on - they're as thick as thieves, those two.

be as thick as two short planks (British, informal, British, taboo!)

to be very stupid. He might be good-looking but he's as thick as two short planks. Most of the people who read these papers are as thick as shit anyway.

See also: plank, short, two

be in the thick of something

to be very involved at the busiest or most active stage of a situation or activity. A fierce debate ensued and he found himself in the thick of it. I can't talk right now - I'm in the thick of things. When you're in the thick of the action, you don't always have time to think.

be thick on the ground (British & Australian)

be thin on the ground - if things or people are thin on the ground, there are not many of them. Traditional English pubs are thick on the ground in this area.

See also: ground

lay it on thick (informal, informal)

to make an emotion or experience seem more important or serious than it really is. He'd injured his hand slightly but he was laying it on a bit thick about how painful it was. They must have told us ten times how wonderful their daughter was - they were really laying it on with a trowel.

See also: lay

a thick skin

thick-skinned - if you are thick-skinned, you do not notice or get upset when people criticize you. As a politician, you get so much criticism levelled at you that you eventually develop a thick skin.

See also: skin

thick-skinned

if you are thick-skinned, you do not notice or get upset when people criticize you. You have to be a bit harsher than that with Caroline to offend her - she's pretty thick-skinned.

See also: thick-skinned

through thick and thin

if you stay with or support someone through thick and thin, you always stay with or support them, even in difficult situations. That's what relationships are about - you stick with someone through thick and thin. She remained loyal to the party through thick and thin.

See also: thin, through

---

in the thick of it

completely involved in an activity or a situation. At first George didn't want to have anything to do with planning our wedding, but he's in the thick of it now. Although he denies it, the company's treasurer was in the thick of the illegal activities.

(have) a thick skin

able to ignore personal criticism. People will tell you they don't like your clothes or your voice or the color of your eyes, so you need to have a thick skin to survive. During the two years he was the spokesperson for the police, he developed a very thick skin.

See also: skin

through thick and thin

including both good times and bad times. Dogs are real friends because they are loyal to you through thick and thin and don't expect more than food and approval in return.

Usage notes: sometimes used in the form stick together through thick and thin to support one another in good or bad times: The brothers promised they would stick together through thick and thin.

See also: thin, through