lathy

A lathy wooden fence surrounds the small garden.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Slender and thin: "lathy" describes something that is long, thin, and slender, resembling a lath (a thin, narrow strip of wood).
   • Made of or resembling laths: It can also refer to something constructed from or having the appearance of laths.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The model had a lathy figure, tall and delicate. (Describing a person as very thin and long-limbed.)
  • The fence was built with lathy boards that flexed in the wind. (The boards were thin and narrow like laths.)

Advanced Usage

• "lathy frame": a very thin and narrow body structure.

  • The dancer’s lathy frame allowed her to move with incredible grace. (Her slender body was well-suited for dancing.)

• "lathy appearance": a look that is excessively thin or gaunt.

  • After weeks of illness, he had a lathy appearance that worried his friends. (He looked very thin and weak.)

Variants and Related Words

• Lath (n): a thin, narrow strip of wood used in building or as a base for plaster.

  • The carpenter cut a lath to repair the wall. (A thin strip of wood.)

• Lathing (n): the process of applying laths to a surface.

  • The lathing was completed before the plaster was applied. (The installation of thin wood strips.)

Synonyms

• Slender: gracefully thin.
• Slim: of small width in comparison to height.
• Gaunt: very thin and bony, often due to illness or hunger.
• Reedy: tall and thin like a reed.

Related Idioms

• "As thin as a lath": an idiomatic comparison meaning extremely thin.
  • After the diet, she was as thin as a lath. (She became very slender.)

Notes on Usage

• "Lathy" is a rare or literary adjective, often used to describe a person’s physique or an object’s shape. It is not commonly used in everyday conversation.