thin (redirected from thinner)

be as [fast/hot/thin etc.] as all get out (American & Australian, informal)

to be extremely fast, hot, thin etc.. He's a terrific runner - as fast as all get out.

See also: all, fast, hot

be as thin as a rake (British, American & Australian, mainly American)

to be very thin. He eats like a horse and yet he's as thin as a rake. She's as thin as a rail from all that running.

See also: rake

be as thin as a stick

to be very thin. She used to be as thin as a stick.

See also: stick

be (skating/walking) on thin ice

to be taking a big risk. They knew that by publishing the article they were skating on thin ice.

See also: ice

be thin on the ground (British & Australian)

if things or people are thin on the ground, there are not many of them. Bears are getting rather thin on the ground in European forests. I get the impression work is a bit thin on the ground at the moment.

See also: ground

be thin on top

if a man is thin on top, there is not much hair on the top of his head. He hasn't gone grey but he's a bit thin on top.

See also: top

disappear/vanish into thin air

out of thin air - if something appears or is made out of thin air, it suddenly and mysteriously appears or is made. He ran away eight years ago and it was as though he vanished into thin air. Have you seen my calculator? It seems to have disappeared into thin air.

See also: air, disappear, vanish

a fine/thin line

if there is a fine line between one thing and another, they are very similar although the second thing is bad. There's a thin line between courage and foolishness. (often + between)

See also: fine, line

go thin on top

be thin on top - if a man is thin on top, there is not much hair on the top of his head. He had really nice hair when he was younger but he's going a bit thin on top now.

See also: top

have a thin time (of it) (British & Australian)

to experience a difficult period, often because you do not have enough money. Rob lost his job last year and they've been having a thin time of it.

See also: time

out of thin air

if something appears or is made out of thin air, it suddenly and mysteriously appears or is made. Using volunteers from the audience, he makes cards appear out of thin air. You can't just create wealth from thin air.

See also: air

spread yourself too thin

to try to do too many things at the same time, so that you cannot give enough time or attention to any of them. I realised I'd been spreading myself too thin so I resigned as secretary of the golf club.

See also: spread

stick-thin

be as thin as a stick - to be very thin. I remember her as a stick-thin teenager dressed all in black.

the thin end of the wedge (British & Australian)

the start of a harmful development. There are those who see the closure of the hospital as the thin end of the wedge.

See also: end, wedge

a thin skin

thin-skinned - if you are thin-skinned, you are too easily upset when other people criticize you. For someone who's always saying unpleasant things to other people, he's got a remarkably thin skin.

See also: skin

thin-skinned

if you are thin-skinned, you are too easily upset when other people criticize you. You can't be too thin-skinned if you're in the public eye.

See also: thin-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: thick, through

tread a fine/thin line between something

if someone treads a fine line between a good quality and a bad quality, they succeed in having only the good quality. Somehow he manages to tread that fine line between honesty and tactlessness.

See also: between, fine, line, tread

wear thin

1. if your patience wears thin, you become less and less patient. I've warned you several times about being late and my patience is wearing thin. (often in continuous tenses)

2. if a joke, an excuse, or an explanation wears thin, it becomes less effective because it has been used too much. This excuse about not having enough staff to run the trains is wearing rather thin, don't you think? (often in continuous tenses)

See also: wear

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disappear into thin air

to suddenly become impossible to see or find. Police say the suspect seems to have disappeared into thin air. When Jim opened his eyes, the bear had vanished into thin air.

See also: air, disappear

on thin ice

in an uncertain condition. My brother was already on thin ice with the coach when he injured his knee.

Usage notes: often appears as skating or walking on thin ice taking a big risk: They knew that by publishing the article they were skating on thin ice.

See also: ice

out of thin air

from nowhere or nothing. How can magicians produce coins out of thin air? Pascal's discoveries did not come from thin air — they're based on the work of earlier mathematicians.

out of the blue

See also: air

spread (yourself/itself too) thin

1. to try to do too many different things at the same time. Max has spread himself thin and needs to focus on just a couple of his best ideas. The company has expanded into many different areas and has probably spread itself too thin.

2. to not have enough people or equipment to do a job well. The police are spread thin and cannot provide enough protection.

See also: spread

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: thick, through

walk a thin line (between something)

to balance two competing ideas or groups. The diplomats knew they had to walk a fine line between the rebel groups and the government.

See also: line, walk

wear thin

to become less effective. It was a constant struggle to get him to do his homework, and finally my patience wore thin. The sort of character Hugh plays has been done so many times, it's beginning to wear thin.

See also: wear