adj (1)薄的，细的 (small in size from the front to the back or from the top to the bottom; not thick)： a～wire/board/book/coat 一根细金属线/一块薄板/一本薄书/一件薄外套;a～layer of paint/sheet of metal/slice of bread 一层薄漆/一块薄金属板/一薄片面包;The walls of these houses are too～. 这些房子的墙壁很薄。She rolled the pastry～. 她把馅饼皮擀薄。〖反〗thick;

(2)瘦的(not having much fat on)：be/look～是瘦的/看上去瘦;～legs/people 瘦瘦的双腿/瘦人;〖反〗fat;

(3)稀(淡)薄的(in which the parts are not very close to each other)：The air is very～. 空气很稀薄。a～mist/haze 薄雾/薄雾;〖反〗thick;

(4)稀少(疏)的(not set closely together;not dense or crowded)：(hair/population)be/get～(头发/人口)稀少/稀少了;a～audience 观众寥寥无几;〖反〗thick;

(5)(液体)稀的，淡的((of a liquid) that flows easily，rather like water;rather lacking in taste)：a～wine 寡味的酒;(beer) too～to enjoy(啤酒)太淡不好喝;～oil/soup/stew/gravy 稀油/稀汤/汤水多的炖肉/稀薄的肉汁;〖反〗thick;

(6)空洞的，浅薄的，易被别人识破的(not convincing or believable)(fig)：a～disguise/novel/excuse 易被别人识破的伪装/空洞的小说/不充足的理由;～humour 浅薄的幽默;

have a thin time 不舒坦：They're having a～time living in London on such a small salary. 他们在伦敦以微薄的工资维持生活，过得很清苦。

be thin on the ground 不多，少：Real experts are～on the ground. 真正的专家很少。

→′thinness n 稀少;

adv 稀，薄(in a thin manner)：slice the ham/the bread/the cake～把火腿/面包/蛋糕切成薄片;

v (使)变得稀疏(少)(make or become thin)[I，I+adv(out)，T+n，T+n+adv(out)]：(fog/traffic/crowd)～(out)(雾)散了/(车辆)少了/(人群)散了;(war/disease)～the population(战争/疾病)使人口变少了;He had～ned by weeks of starvation. 由于几个星期的饥饿，他瘦了。to～wine/paint by adding water 用水将酒调淡/将油漆调稀;～out seedlings 间苗;

thin down(v adv)(使)变得更苗条(细)(稀)(vi & vt)：The river had～ned down to a trickle. 这条小河已经变成细流了。Mary will have to～down before she can get a job as a dancer again. 玛丽需要更加苗条，才能重新找到一份舞蹈演员的工作。～down wine with water 用水冲淡酒;

→′thinly adv 薄薄地;细细地;稀少地;′thinner n 稀料;

【说明】thin 是fat和thick的反义词。

【辨异】thin 与delicate、lean¹、slim和slender的区别见DELICATE。