thin
gb/θˈɪn/ us/θˈɪn/
A2
Anglais
~ 1800
Sens
0 sens
adjective
A2
property
1
having little thickness
Not thick; having only a small distance from one side to the other.
Schéma d’usage :
[something] is thin
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'thin' with 'slim' or 'skinny' when describing people. 'Thin' can be neutral or negative, while 'slim' is usually positive and 'skinny' can sound critical.
Synonymes
slender (Often used for people or objects that are attractively thin.)
|
slim (Suggests attractiveness, often for people.)
Antonymes
thick (Describes something with a large distance between opposite surfaces.)
Collocations
thin layer
|thin slice
|thin line
|thin sheet
Thèmes
appearance
|measurement
|daily life
|space
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The ice on the lake was too thin to walk on.
- She wore a thin sweater on the chilly morning.
- Cut the vegetables into thin slices before frying.
- A thin layer of dust covered the table.
- The book has thin pages that tear easily.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The paper is very thin.
- I cut a thin piece of bread.
- This shirt is thin and light.
- The wall is thin.
- My phone is thin and small.
adjective
A2
property
2
having little body fat
Having little fat on the body; not big or heavy.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] is thin
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use 'thin' to compliment someone's body, but in some contexts it can sound like a criticism. 'Slim' is safer for compliments.
Synonymes
slim (Positive connotation, suggests attractiveness.)
|
skinny (Informal; often negative or critical.)
Antonymes
overweight (Having more body weight than is considered healthy.)
Collocations
thin man
|thin face
|thin arms
Thèmes
appearance
|health
|body
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- He became very thin after the long illness.
- She has always been naturally thin.
- The stray dog looked thin and weak.
- His thin frame made him look taller than he was.
Exemples pédagogiques
- She is tall and thin.
- The cat looks thin.
- He is too thin after being sick.
- My friend is thin and fast.
adjective
B1
property
3
not dense or concentrated
Not thick or strong; having too much water, air, or space inside.
Schéma d’usage :
[something] is thin
Synonymes
watery (Specifically refers to liquid with too much water and little flavor.)
Antonymes
thick (Dense in texture or concentration.)
Collocations
thin soup
|thin air
|thin fabric
Thèmes
cooking
|science
|food_drink
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The soup was thin and tasteless.
- At high altitudes, the air is thinner and contains less oxygen.
- He wore a jacket made of thin cotton fabric.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The soup is thin.
- The air is thin in the mountains.
- This shirt is made of thin cloth.
adverb
B1
property
4
with little thickness or density
In a way that is not thick or strong.
Synonymes
narrowly (Refers to width, but not always to thickness of material.)
Collocations
spread thinly
|roll thin
Thèmes
science
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Spread the butter thinly on the bread.
- The paint was applied too thin and needed another coat.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Cut the cheese thin.
- Spread jam thin on the bread.
Verbe
B1
action
5
make less thick or dense
To make something thinner, lighter, or weaker by adding liquid, removing parts, or spreading it out.
Schéma d’usage :
to thin [something] (with [something])
Synonymes
dilute (Usually used for liquids; more formal/technical.)
Antonymes
thicken (To make something denser or more solid.)
Collocations
thin paint
|thin sauce
Thèmes
cooking
|science
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- You can thin the paint with water.
- She thinned her hair to make it easier to manage.
- Add milk to thin the sauce.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Thin the soup with water.
- He thins his hair every year.
- Add water to thin the paint.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
thin
API
GB/θˈɪn/
US/θˈɪn/
Syllabes et accentuation
thin (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (thin)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: thin
- Comparative: thinner
- Superlative: thinnest
Verb
- Base: thin
- 3rd Person Singular: thins
- Present Participle: thinning
- Past: thinned
Famille de mots
Forms
thins
verb
thinning
verb
thinned
verb
thinner
adjective
thinnest
adjective
Core family
thinly
adverb
Related words
slim
adjective A2
skinny
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
thick
adjective A2
Advanced or less common
thinness
noun
Points clés
- Irregular present participle: thinning Verb
- Irregular past: thinned Verb
- Irregular comparative: thinner Adjective
- Irregular superlative: thinnest Adjective
Expressions
thin out
1/θˈɪn ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
reduce number or density of something
To make something have fewer things or people in it so it is less crowded or thick.
Exemples
- Police tried to thin out the crowd after the concert.
- Thin out the seedlings so they have space to grow.
wear thin on someone
1/wˈɛɹ θˈɪn ˈɔn sˈʌmwˌʌn/
idiom
informal
cause someone to lose patience over time
To make someone lose their patience because something keeps happening again and again.
Exemples
- His constant complaining is starting to wear thin on me.
- The noise from upstairs is wearing thin on the neighbors.
on thin ice
1/ˈɔn θˈɪn ˈaɪs/
idiom
in a risky situation
In a situation where you could easily get into trouble or cause problems if you make a mistake.
Exemples
- After missing another deadline, he's on thin ice with his boss.
- You're on thin ice with your boss after arriving late again.
- You're on thin ice if you keep arriving late to work.
- The company is on thin ice financially.
spread oneself too thin
1/spɹˈɛd wˌʌnsˈɛlf tˈu θˈɪn/
idiom
do too many things at once poorly
To have too many things to do and not enough time or energy to do them well.
Exemples
- She’s spreading herself too thin by joining so many clubs.
- If you take on too many projects, you'll spread yourself too thin.
- Don’t spread yourself too thin or you’ll burn out.
- She's spreading herself too thin by working two jobs and studying full-time.
wear thin
5/wˈɛɹ θˈɪn/
idiom
become less effective/acceptable
To become less effective, less believable, or less tolerable over time.
Exemples
- Her excuses are starting to wear thin.
- My patience is wearing thin with your excuses.
- My patience is wearing thin with this delay.
- The joke started to wear thin after he told it for the fifth time.