thinly

Everyday

1. Thinly means in a thin layer or in thin pieces: «spread the butter thinly». tree →
2. Thinly means with few people or things spread over a large area: «thinly populated». tree →
3. Thinly means only slightly, so that it is easy to see through: «a thinly disguised trick». tree →

In the lessons

In cooking and science lessons «slice thinly» or «spread thinly» tells how to prepare food or apply glue or paint. In geography «thinly populated» describes places with few people, like the Australian outback or northern Canada. In stories «a thinly veiled threat» or «she smiled thinly» shows hidden feelings or a cold smile. Phrases: «slice thinly», «spread thinly», «thinly spread», «thinly populated».

Examples

• Slice the cucumber thinly. tree →
• Spread the glue thinly over the card. tree →
• Northern Canada is thinly populated. tree →
• She smiled thinly, not really pleased. tree →
• The paint was spread too thinly. tree →
• Our teachers are spread thinly when many are off sick. tree →
• The seeds were sown thinly in the tray. tree →

Note

From «thin» + -ly (one n). Comparative: more thinly. Opposite: thickly. «Spread too thinly» can also mean trying to do too many things at once.