thin as a rake

thin as a rake

English

Etymology

Alteration of earlier lean as a rake, from Middle English lene as a rake; the last element in is potentially an modification of either Middle English *rak (skinny animal) (from Old Norse hrak) or rak (rack) after rake (rake), though it might merely represent that word.[1]

Pronunciation

  • Audio (General Australian):(file)

Adjective

thin as a rake (not comparable)

  1. (simile) Incredibly thin; at an unhealthy-looking level of thinness.

Translations

References

  1. ^ Considine, John (2013), “English Guides to Etymology from Skeat to Durkin”, in Studia Etymologica Cracoviensia[1], volume 18, Kraków: Uniwersytet Jagielloński, →DOI, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 27