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Synonyms

thin as a rail

Idioms  

  1. Very slender, as in I do not know why she's dieting; she's thin as a rail already. This simile, which uses rail in the sense of “a narrow bar,” has largely replaced such other versions as thin as a lath or rake, although the latter is still common in Britain. [Second half of 1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Lee: It’s well known that Audrey was as thin as a rail, which was true.

From Fox News • Jun. 13, 2019

He was sensational, thin as a rail but with amazing power – and very strong.

From The Guardian • Apr. 15, 2019

The margin of the decision was about as thin as a rail road ticket: the vote to delay the merger until the ICC devises proper protections for the little railroads was 5-4.

From Time Magazine Archive

"I came thin as a rail," said Henry's wife Christina.

From Time Magazine Archive

It was creamy with bits of yellow fat, even though the cow was thin as a rail.

From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.