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)
- (simile) Incredibly thin; at an unhealthy-looking level of thinness.
Translations
incredibly thin
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References
- ^ Considine, John (2013), “English Guides to Etymology from Skeat to Durkin”, in Studia Etymologica Cracoviensia[1], volume 18, Kraków: Uniwersytet Jagielloński, , →ISSN, →OCLC, page 27