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adj.1. having relatively little extent from one surface or side to the opposite; not thick: thin ice.2. of small cross section in comparison with the length; slender: a thin wire.3. having little flesh; spare; lean: a thin man.4. composed of or containing objects, particles, etc., widely separated; sparse: thin vegetation.5. scant; not abundant or plentiful.6. of relatively slight consistency or viscosity: thin soup.7. rarefied, as air.8. without solidity or substance; flimsy: a very thin plot for such a long book.9. lacking fullness or volume; weak and shrill: a thin voice.10. without force or a sincere effort: a thin smile.11. lacking body, richness, or strength: a thin wine.12. lacking in chroma; of light tint.13. Photog. (of a developed negative) lacking in density or contrast through underdevelopment or underexposure.adv.14. in a thin manner.15. sparsely; not densely.16. so as to produce something thin: Slice the ham thin.v.t.v.i.18. to become thin or thinner; become reduced or diminished (often fol. by down, out, off, etc.): The crowd is thinning out.[bef. 900; (adj. and adv.) ME thyn(ne), OE thynne; c. D dun, G dünn, ON thunnr; (v.) ME thynnen, OE thynnian, deriv. of the adj.; cf. MD dunnen, ON thynna; akin to OIr tana, L tenuis thin, Gk tany- long]Syn. 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.
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Universalium. 2010.