word-vault

{ "term": "thin", "partOfSpeech": "adjective", "ox3000": true, "cefr": "a2", "definitions": [ { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "having a smaller distance between opposite sides or surfaces than other similar objects or than normal", "cefr": "a2", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "Cut the vegetables into thin strips." }, { "text": "A number of thin cracks appeared in the wall." }, { "text": "The body was hidden beneath a **thin layer** of soil." }, { "text": "Palm trees cast long, thin shadows on the lawn." }, { "text": "He knew that the ice was too thin to risk crossing the river." }, { "text": "a thin blouse *(= of light cloth)*" }, { "text": "a plate of wafer-thin bread and butter" }, { "text": "a sliver of rock thin enough to be translucent" }, { "text": "She pinched her thin lips together." }, { "text": "The wind blew cold through his thin shirt." }, { "text": "Water forms a thin film between the tyre and the road." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "not covered with much fat or muscle", "labels": "(sometimes disapproving)", "cefr": "a2", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "He was tall and thin, with dark hair." }, { "text": "She was looking pale and thin." }, { "text": "How do you stay so thin?" }, { "text": "He is as **thin as a rake** *(= very thin)*." }, { "text": "thin legs" }, { "text": "How do you manage to stay so thin?" }, { "text": "The old horse was painfully thin." } ], "topics": ["Appearance"] }, { "senseNumber": 3, "definition": "not growing closely together or in large amounts", "cefr": "b1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "thin grey hair" } ] }, { "senseNumber": 4, "definition": "containing more liquid than is normal or expected", "cefr": "b1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "The sauce was thin and tasteless." }, { "text": "The paint looks a bit thin." } ], "topics": ["Cooking and eating"], "collocations": { "verbs": ["be", "look", "seem"], "adverb": ["extremely", "fairly", "very"] } }, { "senseNumber": 5, "definition": "fairly easy to see through", "examples": [ { "text": "They fought their way through where the smoke was thinner." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 6, "definition": "containing less oxygen than normal", "examples": [ { "text": "Humans would not be able to survive in the thin atmosphere of the planet." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 7, "definition": "high and weak", "labels": "(disapproving)", "examples": [ { "text": "Her thin voice trailed off into silence." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 8, "definition": "not sincere or enthusiastic", "examples": [ { "text": "He gave a thin smile." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 9, "definition": "not very bright", "examples": [ { "text": "the thin grey light of dawn" } ] }, { "senseNumber": 10, "definition": "of poor quality; without an important quality", "examples": [ { "text": "a thin excuse *(= one that people are not likely to believe)*" }, { "text": "Their arguments all sound a little thin to me." }, { "text": "The general standard of applicants is pretty thin this year." }, { "text": "His knowledge of the country was somewhat thin." }, { "text": "The evidence seems awfully thin." } ], "collocations": { "verbs": ["be", "seem", "become"], "adverb": ["extremely", "fairly", "very"], "phrases": [ "spread something (too) thin", "stretch something (too) thin", "thin on the ground" ] } }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to be taking a risk", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to disappear suddenly in a mysterious way", "examples": [ { "text": "She can’t just have vanished into thin air." }, { "text": "At a stroke she could make things vanish into thin air." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to have many problems or difficulties to deal with; to not be successful", "labels": "(British English, informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "He’s had a thin time of it since losing his job." } ], "topics": ["Difficulty and failure"] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "from nowhere or nothing, as if by magic", "examples": [ { "text": "Unfortunately, I can’t just conjure up the money out of thin air!" } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to try to do so many different things at the same time that you do not do any of them well", "examples": [ { "text": "With four markets to manage, there's a danger that's she's spreading herself too thin." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "if people or things are thick/thin on the ground, there are a lot/not many of them in a place", "labels": "(British English)", "examples": [ { "text": "Customers are thin on the ground at this time of year." }, { "text": "Security officers were thick on the ground during the King’s visit." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "an event or action that is the beginning of something more serious and/or unpleasant", "labels": "(especially British English)", "examples": [ { "text": "The introduction of a tax on workplace parking is seen by many as the thin end of the wedge." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "with little or no hair on the head", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "He's starting to get a little thin on top *(= he's losing his hair)*." }, { "text": "He's going bald on top." } ], "topics": ["Appearance"] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "the lack of ability to accept criticism, offensive remarks, etc. without becoming upset", "examples": [ { "text": "You shouldn’t be in politics if you have such a thin skin." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "even when there are problems or difficulties", "examples": [ { "text": "He's supported the team for over ten years through thick and thin." }, { "text": "In marriage, you have to stick together through thick and thin." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to be in a difficult or dangerous situation where you could easily make a mistake", "examples": [ { "text": "He was walking a fine line between being funny and being rude." }, { "text": "She often seems to tread a thin line between success and failure." }, { "text": "His comedy treads the line between shocking and sickening." }, { "text": "We have to walk a fine line to make sure we don't promote one brand more than another." }, { "text": "His buildings walk the thin line between visionary and completely ridiculous." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to begin to become weaker or less acceptable", "examples": [ { "text": "These excuses are wearing a little thin *(= because we've heard them so many times before)*." }, { "text": "My patience is beginning to wear very thin." } ] } ], "pronunciations": { "uk": [ { "pronunciation": "/θɪn/", "audio": "th/thin/thin__gb_2.mp3" } ], "us": [ { "pronunciation": "/θɪn/", "audio": "th/thin/thin__us_1.mp3" } ] }, "wordOrigin": "Old English thynne, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dun and German dünn, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin tenuis." }