Word Study
slim
CIDE DICTIONARY
slim, a. [Formerly, bad, worthless, weak, slight, awry, fr. D. slim; akin to G. schlimm, MHG. slimp oblique, awry; of uncertain origin. The meaning of the English word seems to have been influenced by slender.].
- Worthless; bad. [1913 Webster]
- Weak; slight; unsubstantial; poor; as, a slim argument. Barrow. [1913 Webster]
- Of small diameter or thickness in proportion to the height or length; slender; as, a slim person; a slim tree. Grose. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
slim, adj., v., & n.
--adj. (slimmer, slimmest)
1 a of small girth or thickness, of long narrow shape. b gracefully thin, slenderly built. c not fat or overweight.
2 small, insufficient (a slim chance of success).
3 clever, artful, crafty, unscrupulous.
--v. (slimmed, slimming)
1 intr. make oneself slimmer by dieting, exercise, etc.
2 tr. make slim or slimmer.
--n. a course of slimming.
--adj. (slimmer, slimmest)
1 a of small girth or thickness, of long narrow shape. b gracefully thin, slenderly built. c not fat or overweight.
2 small, insufficient (a slim chance of success).
3 clever, artful, crafty, unscrupulous.
--v. (slimmed, slimming)
1 intr. make oneself slimmer by dieting, exercise, etc.
2 tr. make slim or slimmer.
--n. a course of slimming.
Derivative
slimly adv. slimmer n. slimming n. & adj. slimmish adj. slimness n.
Etymology
LG or Du. f. Gmc
THESAURUS
slim
Lenten, Spartan, abstemious, adroit, airy, ascetic, attenuate, attenuated, austere, barebones, bean pole, beanstalk, boyish, broomstick, canny, cheeseparing, chinchy, chintzy, clothes pole, corpse, cunning, delicate, dexterous, diaphanous, diet, diluted, dwarfed, dwarfish, ethereal, exiguous, fat, fine, fine-drawn, finespun, flimsy, frail, frugal, gauzy, girlish, gossamer, gracile, impoverished, infrequent, ingenious, insubstantial, jejune, lacy, lanky, lean, light, limited, lissome, lithe, lithesome, lose weight, meager, mean, miserly, misty, narrow, negligible, niggardly, off, outside, paltry, papery, parsimonious, piddling, poor, puny, rare, rarefied, rattlebones, reduce, reedy, scant, scanty, scarce, scattered, scrawny, scrimp, scrimping, scrimpy, seldom met with, seldom seen, shadow, skeleton, skimp, skimping, skimpy, slender, slenderish, slenderize, slight, slight-made, slimmish, slinky, sly, small, spare, sparing, sparse, spindlelegs, spindleshanks, spotty, sprinkled, stack of bones, starvation, stilt, stingy, stinted, straitened, stunted, subsistence, subtle, svelte, sylphlike, tenuous, thin, thin-bodied, thin-set, thin-spun, thinnish, threadlike, tight, twiggy, unnourishing, unnutritious, vague, walking skeleton, wasp-waisted, watered, watered-down, watery, weak, willowy, wiredrawn, wispyROGET THESAURUS
slim
Cunning
N cunning, craft, cunningness, craftiness, subtlety, artificiality, maneuvering, temporization, circumvention, chicane, chicanery, sharp practice, knavery, jugglery, concealment, guile, doubling, duplicity, foul play, diplomacy, politics, Machiavelism, jobbery, backstairs influence, art, artifice, device, machination, plot, maneuver, stratagem, dodge, sidestep, artful dodge, wile, trick, trickery, ruse, ruse de guerre, finesse, side blow, thin end of the wedge, shift, go by, subterfuge, evasion, white lie, juggle, tour de force, tricks of the trade, tricks upon travelers, espieglerie, net, trap, Ulysses, Machiavel, sly boots, fox, reynard, Scotchman, Jew, Yankee, intriguer, intrigant, floater, Indian giver, keener, repeater, cunning, crafty, artful, skillful, subtle, feline, vulpine, cunning as a fox, cunning as a serpent, deep, deep laid, profound, designing, contriving, intriguing, strategic, diplomatic, politic, Machiavelian, timeserving, artificial, tricky, tricksy, wily, sly, slim, insidious, stealthy, underhand, subdolous, deceitful, slippery as an eel, evasive, crooked, arch, pawky, shrewd, acute, sharp, sharp as a tack, sharp as a needle, canny, astute, leery, knowing, up to snuff, too clever by half, not to be caught with chaff, tactful, diplomatic, politic, polite, cunningly, slyly, slily, on the sly, by a side wind, diamond cut diamond, a' bis ou a blanc, fin contre fin, something is rotten in the state of Denmark.Thinness
N narrowness, thinness, narrowness, closeness, exility, exiguity, line, hair's breadth, finger's breadth, strip, streak, vein, monolayer, epitaxial deposition, thinness, tenuity, emaciation, macilency, marcor, shaving, slip, thread paper, skeleton, shadow, anatomy, spindleshanks, lantern jaws, mere skin and bone, middle constriction, stricture, neck, waist, isthmus, wasp, hourglass, ridge, ghaut, ghat, pass, ravine, narrowing, coarctation, angustation, tapering, contraction, narrow, close, slender, thin, fine, thread-like, finespun, gossamer, paper-thin, taper, slim, slight-made, scant, scanty, spare, delicate, incapacious, contracted, unexpanded &c (expand), slender as a thread, emaciated, lean, meager, gaunt, macilent, lank, lanky, weedy, skinny, scrawny slinky, starved, starveling, herring gutted, worn to a shadow, lean as a rake, thin as a lath, thin as a whipping post, thin as a wafer, hatchet-faced, lantern-jawed, attenuated, shriveled, extenuated, tabid, marcid, barebone, rawboned, monomolecular.For further exploring for "slim" in Webster Dictionary Online