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thick - 9 dictionary results

thick

  [thik] ,adjective, -er, -est, adverb, -er, -est, noun
Use thick in a Sentence
–adjective
1. having relatively great extent from one surface or side to the opposite; not thin: a thick slice.
2. measured, as specified, between opposite surfaces, from top to bottom, or in a direction perpendicular to that of the length and breadth; (of a solid having three general dimensions) measured across its smallest dimension: a board one inch thick.
3. composed of or containing objects, particles, etc., close together; dense: a thick fog; a thick forest.
4. filled, covered, or abounding (usually fol. by with): tables thick with dust.
5. husky or hoarse; not distinctly articulated: The patient's speech is still quite thick.
6. markedly so (as specified): a thick German accent.
7. deep or profound: thick darkness.
8. (of a liquid) heavy or viscous: a thick syrup.
9. Informal. close in friendship; intimate.
10. mentally slow; stupid; dull.
11. disagreeably excessive or exaggerated: They thought it a bit thick when he called himself a genius.
–adverb
12. in a thick manner.
13. close together; closely packed: The roses grew thick along the path.
14. in a manner to produce something thick: Slice the cheese thick.
–noun
15. the thickest, densest, or most crowded part: in the thick of the fight.
—Idioms
16. lay it on thick, Informal. to praise excessively; flatter: He's laying it on thick because he wants you to do him a favor.
17. through thick and thin, under favorable and unfavorable conditions; steadfastly: We have been friends for 20 years, through thick and thin.
Origin:
bef. 900; (adj. and adv.) ME thikke, OE thicce; c. D dik, G dick; akin to ON thykkr (n.) ME, deriv. of the adj.

Related forms:
thickish, adjective
thickly, adverb

Synonyms:
6. strong, pronounced, decided.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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thick   (thĭk)   
adj.   thick·er, thick·est
    1. Relatively great in extent from one surface to the opposite, usually in the smallest solid dimension; not thin: a thick board.
    2. Measuring a specified number of units in this dimension: two inches thick.
    3. Not easy to hear or understand; indistinctly articulated: the thick speech of a drunkard.
    4. Producing indistinctly articulated sounds: the thick tongues of barbarians.
  2. Heavy in form, build, or stature; thickset: a thick neck.
  3. Having component parts in a close, crowded state or arrangement; dense: a thick forest.
  4. Having or suggesting a heavy or viscous consistency: thick tomato sauce.
  5. Having a great number; abounding: a room thick with flies.
  6. Impenetrable by the eyes: a thick fog.
    1. Not easy to hear or understand; indistinctly articulated: the thick speech of a drunkard.
    2. Producing indistinctly articulated sounds: the thick tongues of barbarians.
  8. Strongly apparent; conspicuous: a thick brogue.
  9. Informal Lacking mental agility; stupid.
  10. Informal Very friendly; intimate: thick friends.
  11. Informal Going beyond what is tolerable; excessive.
adv.  
  1. In a thick manner; deeply or heavily: Seashells lay thick on the beach.
  2. In a close, compact state or arrangement; densely: Dozens of braids hung thick from the back of her head.
  3. So as to be thick; thickly: Slice the bread thick for the best French toast.
n.  
  1. The thickest part.
  2. The most active or intense part: in the thick of the fighting.

[Middle English thicke, from Old English thicce; see tegu- in Indo-European roots.]
thick'ish adj., thick'ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Thick

Thick\ (th[i^]k), a. [Compar. Thicker (-[~e]r); superl. Thickest.] [OE. thicke, AS. [thorn]icce; akin to D. dik, OS. thikki, OHG. dicchi thick, dense, G. dick thick, Icel. [thorn]ykkr, [thorn]j["o]kkr, and probably to Gael. & Ir. tiugh. Cf. Tight.]

1. Measuring in the third dimension other than length and breadth, or in general dimension other than length; -- said of a solid body; as, a timber seven inches thick.

Were it as thick as is a branched oak. --Chaucer.

My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. --1 Kings xii. 10.

2. Having more depth or extent from one surface to its opposite than usual; not thin or slender; as, a thick plank; thick cloth; thick paper; thick neck.

3. Dense; not thin; inspissated; as, thick vapors. Also used figuratively; as, thick darkness.

Make the gruel thick and slab. --Shak.

4. Not transparent or clear; hence, turbid, muddy, or misty; as, the water of a river is apt to be thick after a rain. "In a thick, misty day." --Sir W. Scott.

5. Abundant, close, or crowded in space; closely set; following in quick succession; frequently recurring.

The people were gathered thick together. --Luke xi. 29.

Black was the forest; thick with beech it stood. --Dryden.

6. Not having due distinction of syllables, or good articulation; indistinct; as, a thick utterance.

7. Deep; profound; as, thick sleep. [R.] --Shak.

8. Dull; not quick; as, thick of fearing. --Shak.

His dimensions to any thick sight were invincible. --Shak.

9. Intimate; very friendly; familiar. [Colloq.]

We have been thick ever since. --T. Hughes.

Note: Thick is often used in the formation of compounds, most of which are self-explaining; as, thick-barred, thick-bodied, thick-coming, thick-cut, thick-flying, thick-growing, thick-leaved, thick-lipped, thick-necked, thick-planted, thick-ribbed, thick-shelled, thick-woven, and the like.

Thick register. (Phon.) See the Note under Register, n., 7.

Thick stuff (Naut.), all plank that is more than four inches thick and less than twelve. --J. Knowles.

Syn: Dense; close; compact; solid; gross; coarse.

Thick

Thick\, n. 1. The thickest part, or the time when anything is thickest.

In the thick of the dust and smoke. --Knolles.

2. A thicket; as, gloomy thicks. [Obs.] --Drayton.

Through the thick they heard one rudely rush. --Spenser.

He through a little window cast his sight Through thick of bars, that gave a scanty light. --Dryden.

Thick-and-thin block (Naut.), a fiddle block. See under Fiddle.

Through thick and thin, through all obstacles and difficulties, both great and small.

Through thick and thin she followed him. --Hudibras.

He became the panegyrist, through thick and thin, of a military frenzy. --Coleridge.

Thick

Thick\ (th[i^]k), adv. [AS. [thorn]icce.]

1. Frequently; fast; quick.

2. Closely; as, a plat of ground thick sown.

3. To a great depth, or to a greater depth than usual; as, land covered thick with manure.

Thick and threefold, in quick succession, or in great numbers. [Obs.] --L'Estrange.

Thick

Thick\, v. t. & i. [Cf. AS. [thorn]iccian.] To thicken. [R.]

The nightmare Life-in-death was she, Who thicks man's blood with cold. --Coleridge.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : thick
Spanish: grueso,
German: dick,
Japanese: 厚い
More Translations »

thick  (adj.)
O.E. þicce "not thin, dense," from P.Gmc. *theku-, *thekwia- (cf. O.S. thikki, O.H.G. dicchi, Ger. dick, O.N. þykkr, O.Fris. thikke), from PIE *tegu- "thick" (cf. Gaelic tiugh). Secondary O.E. sense of "close together" is preserved in thickset and proverbial phrase thick as thieves (1833). Meaning "stupid" is first recorded 1597. Phrase thick and thin is in Chaucer (c.1386); thick-skinned is attested from 1545; in fig. sense from 1602. Verb thicken is first recorded c.1425 (trans.), 1598 (intrans.); an earlier verb was O.E. þiccian. To be in the thick of some action, etc., "to be at the most intense moment" is from 1681, from a M.E. noun sense.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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thick (thĭk)
adj. thick·er, thick·est

  1. Relatively great in extent from one surface to the opposite, usually in the smallest solid dimension; not thin.
  2. Measuring a specified number of units in this dimension.
  3. Heavy in form, build, or stature; thickset.
  4. Having component parts in a close, crowded state or arrangement; dense.
  5. Having or suggesting a heavy or viscous consistency.
  6. Having a great number; abounding.
  7. Impenetrable by the eyes.
  8. Not easy to hear or understand; indistinctly articulated.
  9. Noticeably affecting sound; conspicuous.
  10. Producing indistinctly articulated sounds.
adv.
  1. In a close, compact state or arrangement; densely.
  2. In a thick manner; deeply or heavily.
n.
The most active or intense part.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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thick

In addition to the idioms beginning with thick, also see blood is thicker than water; lay it on thick; plot thickens; through thick and thin.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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