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(as) thin as a rake
01
used to refer to someone who is extremely thin, often in an unhealthy way
Dialect
British
British
Disapproving
Idiom
Informal
What is the origin of the idiom "thin as a rake" and when to use it?
The phrase "thin as a rake" is an idiomatic expression that dates back several centuries. It originated from the comparison between someone's thinness and the slim shape of a garden rake. It is used to describe someone who is extremely thin or skinny. It emphasizes the person's lack of body mass and suggests that they have a slender physique.
Examples
After his illness, he was thin as a rake.
