Delgado

[irmamar]

I have a few words with this meaning (delgado): lean, slender, thin, slim, gaunt, lank, spare.

Are all these words appropriate for persons?

The other day I read in a webpage that thin was not formal (and that surprised me). Which of them could I use in a formal way applied to people?

Thanks.

[poli]

Originally Posted by irmamar

I have a few words with this meaning (delgado): lean, slender, thin, slim, gaunt, lank, spare.

Are all these words appropriate for persons?

The other day I read in a webpage that thin was not formal (and that surprised me). Which of them could I use in a formal way applied to people?

Thanks.

Thin is in not at all informal. It is neutral. The word skinny is informal,
Gaunt, lank, spare, skin and bones generally have negative connotations.
Thin, slim, slender, lean, lithe, generally have positive connations.

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by poli

Thin is in not at all informal. It is neutral. The word skinny is informal,
Gaunt, lank, spare, skin and bones generally have negative connotations.
Thin, slim, slender, lean, lithe, generally have positive connations.

Thanks, Poli (and thanks for adding a few more)

May I use all of them with people? For instance, I know that once I read a sermon about a "slender thread". Could I apply "slender" to a person?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Could I apply "slender" to a person?

Not common, but yes.

She was of slender build (literary)
She was small and slender

(It sounds more natural to apply to women, but I'm sure that's just me)

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by Perikles

Not common, but yes.

And the other ones?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

And the other ones?

Of people: lean, slight, slim, svelte, sylphlike, willowy.

I misread the question. The others can be applied to people as well.

[irmamar]

Thanks!

[poli]

The one word I would not use for thin when referring to a person is spare.
An example of how you can use spare: In in the earthquake zone medical
supplies are now spare.(or medical supplies are in thin supply)
The word slender is often used in diet advertisements, because it sounds
nicer than thin. Example: After going on the --- diet she looks so slender
and beautiful. He bought the amazing slenderizing machine advertised on
the television.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by poli

The one word I would not use for thin when referring to a person is spare.

Yes, I missed that one.

[irmamar]

Thanks, Poli.

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by irmamar

... lank ...

Sería "lanky" para describir a una persona. "Lank" es para el pelo.

"Lanky" tiene connotaciones de brazos y piernas muy largas. Si conoces lo que es el síndrome de Marfan tendrás buena idea de lo de que se trata.

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by pjt33

Sería "lanky" para describir a una persona. "Lank" es para el pelo.

"Lanky" tiene connotaciones de brazos y piernas muy largas. Si conoces lo que es el síndrome de Marfan tendrás buena idea de lo de que se trata.

No, no lo sabía. Ahora sí.

[CrOtALiTo]

I have a question.

Skinny means Falquito?

Is it right?

Thin means delgado as Poli said before it's a connotation appropriate in English.

[poli]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

I have a question.

Skinny means Falquito?

Is it right?

Thin means delgado as Poli said before it's a connotation appropriate in English.

Yes, skinny= flaco o flaquito
thin=delgado

[Charles]

I would say omit lean and spare. Lean is the common description of meat with little fat but usually is not applied to the human form, but it can be. I cannot think of any way to use spare in that context. A more common use of lank would be lanky. Such as: "A tall and lanky man was leaning on the fence." The man would be thin with long arms and legs. If you really want to understand the word lanky, find some pictures of Abraham Lincoln. After looking at Old Abe you won't ever forget lanky.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by poli

Yes, skinny= flaco o flaquito
thin=delgado

Thank you for the advance.

Lank- means alto y flaco good contribution.
I didn't know it.

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by Charles

I would say omit lean and spare. Lean is the common description of meat with little fat but usually is not applied to the human form, but it can be. I cannot think of any way to use spare in that context. A more common use of lank would be lanky. Such as: "A tall and lanky man was leaning on the fence." The man would be thin with long arms and legs. If you really want to understand the word lanky, find some pictures of Abraham Lincoln. After looking at Old Abe you won't ever forget lanky.

Yes, I've seen several pictures of Lincoln.

But dictionary magic soft gives this example: the spare figure of a marathon runner.

http://www.wordmagicsoft.com/diccion...n-es/spare.php