(~ner, ~nest, ~s, ~ning, ~ned)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
Some~g that is ~ is much narrower than it is long.
A ~ cable carries the signal to a computer...
James’s face was ~, finely boned, and sensitive.
ADJ
2.
A person or animal that is ~ has no extra fat on their body .
He was a tall, ~ man with grey hair...
? fat
ADJ
~ness
There was some~g familiar about him, his fawn raincoat, his ~ness, the way he moved.
N-UNCOUNT
3.
Some~g such as paper or cloth that is ~ is flat and has only a very small distance between its two opposite surfaces.
...a small, blue-bound book printed in fine type on ~ paper...
? thick
ADJ
~ly
Peel and ~ly slice the onion...
ADV: ADV with v
4.
Liquids that are ~ are weak and watery.
The soup was ~ and clear, yet mysteriously rich...
? thick
ADJ
5.
A crowd or audience that is ~ does not have many people in it.
The crowd, which had been ~ for the first half of the race, had now grown considerably.
ADJ
~ly
The island is ~ly populated.
ADV: ADV -ed
6.
Thin clothes are made from light cloth and are not warm to wear.
Her gown was ~, and she shivered, partly from cold.
? thick
ADJ
~ly
Mrs Brown wrapped the ~ly clad man in her fur coat.
ADV: ADV adj/-ed
7.
If you describe an argument or explanation as ~, you mean that it is weak and difficult to believe.
However, the evidence is ~ and, to some extent, ambiguous...
= weak
? strong
ADJ
~ly
Much of the speech was a ~ly disguised attack on British Airways.
ADV: usu ADV -ed, also ADV before v
8.
If someone’s hair is described as ~, they do not have a lot of hair.
She had pale ~ yellow hair she pulled back into a bun.
? thick
ADJ
9.
When you ~ some~g or when it ~s, it becomes less crowded because people or ~gs have been removed from it.
It would have been better to have ~ned the trees over several winters rather than all at one time...
By midnight the crowd had ~ned.
VERB: V n, V
•
Thin out means the same as ~ .
NATO will continue to ~ out its forces...
When the crowd began to ~ out, I realized that most of the food was still there...
PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V P
10.
To ~ a sauce or liquid means to make it weaker and more watery by adding another liquid to it.
It may be necessary to ~ the sauce slightly...
VERB: V n
•
Thin down means the same as ~ .
Thin down your mayonnaise with soured cream or natural yoghurt.
PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron)
11.
If a man’s hair is ~ning, it has begun to fall out.
His hair is ~ning and his skin has lost all hint of youth.
~ on top: see top
VERB: V
12.
If someone’s patience, for example, is wearing ~, they are beginning to become impatient or angry with someone.
Parliament has not yet begun to combat the deepening economic crisis, and public patience is wearing ~.
PHRASE
13.
on ~ ice: see ice
~ air: see air