thick

[thik]

adjective

thicker, thickest 

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 forest.

   a thick fog;

   a thick forest.

4. filled, covered, or abounding (usually followed bywith ).

   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.

   Synonyms: decided, pronounced, strong

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

thicker, thickest 

1. in a thick manner.

2. close together; closely packed.

   The roses grew thick along the path.

3. in a manner to produce something thick.

   Slice the cheese thick.

noun

1. the thickest, densest, or most crowded part.

   in the thick of the fight.

thick

/ θɪk /

adjective

1. of relatively great extent from one surface to the other; fat, broad, or deep

   a thick slice of bread

2. 1. (postpositive) of specific fatness

      ten centimetres thick

   2. ( in combination )

      a six-inch-thick wall

3. having a relatively dense consistency; not transparent

   thick soup

4. abundantly covered or filled

   a piano thick with dust

5. impenetrable; dense

   a thick fog

6. stupid, slow, or insensitive

   a thick person

7. throaty or badly articulated

   a voice thick with emotion

8. (of accents, etc) pronounced

9. informal,  very friendly (esp in the phrase thick as thieves )

10. unfair or excessive

11. informal,  a blow on the ear delivered as punishment, in anger, etc

adverb

1. in order to produce something thick

   to slice bread thick

2. profusely; in quick succession (esp in the phrase thick and fast )

3. informal

   1. to exaggerate a story, statement, etc

   2. to flatter excessively

noun

1. a thick piece or part

2. the busiest or most intense part

3. in good times and bad

Other Word Forms

• thickish adjective
• thickly adverb
• overthick adjective
• overthickly adverb
• overthickness noun
• superthick adjective
• unthick adjective
• unthickly adverb
• unthickness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of thick¹

First recorded before 900; (adjective and adverb) Middle English thikke, Old English thicce; cognate with Dutch dik, German dick; akin to Old Norse thykkr (noun) Middle English, derivative of the adj.

Word History and Origins

Origin of thick¹

Old English thicce; related to Old Saxon, Old High German thikki, Old Norse thykkr

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. lay it on thick, to praise excessively; flatter.

   He's laying it on thick because he wants you to do him a favor.

2. through thick and thin, under favorable and unfavorable conditions; steadfastly.

   We have been friends for 20 years, through thick and thin.

More idioms and phrases containing thick

• blood is thicker than water
• lay it on thick
• plot thickens
• through thick and thin

Example Sentences

Unlike a few of the seedling apples we’d tasted—some of which foragers evocatively call “spitters”—this was fruit I’d cut up to serve with thick slices of cheddar.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In the attached photo, Mosquera sports a thick white beard, with tattoos peeping out of his orange shirt, and is described as a "latin king street gang member" convicted of "first-degree murder".

Read more on Barron's

But Condon draws a thick line between reality and fiction to highlight how much his leads need the freedom for radical self-expression.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

These thick cloaks of dust might dim the stars' light to the point of utter undetectability.

Read more on Science Daily

In a February incident captured on video by several passengers, enough oil entered the bleed air supply of a Boeing 717 that thick plumes of smoke started piling through the vents midflight.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• broad 
• chunky 
• fat 
• hard 
• heavy 
• massive 
• wide