Thin (?), a. [Compar.Thiner (?); superl.Thinest.] [OE. thinne, thenne, thunne, AS. þynne; akin to D. dun, G. dünn, OHG. dunni, Icel. þunnr, Sw. tunn, Dan. tynd, Gael. & Ir. tana, W. teneu, L. tenuis, Gr. � (in comp.) stretched out, � stretched, stretched out, long, Skr. tanu thin, slender; also to AS. �enian to extend, G. dehnen, Icel. �enja, Goth. �anjan (in comp.), L. tendere to stretch, tenere to hold, Gr. � to stretch, Skr. tan. √51 & 237. Cf. Attenuate, Dance, Tempt, Tenable, Tend to move, Tenous, Thunder, Tone.] 1. Having little thickness or extent from one surface to its opposite; as, a thin plate of metal; thin paper; a thin board; a thin covering.
2. Rare; not dense or thick; — applied to fluids or soft mixtures; as, thin blood; thin broth; thin air. Shak.
In the day, when the air is more thin. Bacon.
Satan, bowing low
His gray dissimulation, disappeared,
Into thin air diffused. Milton.
3. Not close; not crowded; not filling the space; not having the individuals of which the thing is composed in a close or compact state; hence, not abundant; as, the trees of a forest are thin; the corn or grass is thin.
Ferrara is very large, but extremely thin of people. Addison.
4. Not full or well grown; wanting in plumpness.
Seven thin ears... blasted with the east wind. Gen. xli. 6.
5. Not stout; slim; slender; lean; gaunt; as, a person becomes thin by disease.
6. Wanting in body or volume; small; feeble; not full.
Thin, hollow sounds, and lamentable screams. Dryden.
7. Slight; small; slender; flimsy; wanting substance or depth or force; superficial; inadequate; not sufficient for a covering; as, a thin disguise.
My tale is done, for my wit is but thin. Chaucer.
☞ Thin is used in the formation of compounds which are mostly self-explaining; as, thin-faced, thin-lipped, thin-peopled, thin-shelled, and the like.
Thin section. See under Section.