spindlyadj.

Brit.

/ˈspɪndli/, U.S.

/ˈspɪn(d)li/

Forms: Also 1700s Scottish spinly.

Etymology: < spindle n.

a. Of plants: Of a slender and weakly growth.

ΘΚΠ

the world > plants > by growth or development > defined by poor growth > [adjective] > spindly or straggling

spindly1655

straggling1674

spindling1750

gangling1818

speary1821

spindled1855

gangly1886

1655 B. W. in S. Hartlib Legacy (ed. 3) 106 No more then a strong and fairly spread root could have a small and spindly head.

1743 Sel. Trans. Soc. Improvers Knowl. Agric. Scotl. 80 Where it..continues as Quagmire, it is all Fog at Top, with a short spinly thin Grass.

1805 R. W. Dickson Pract. Agric. I. 550 On such lands the growth of the crop may be so retarded as to become weak and spindly.

1855 Jrnl. Royal Agric. Soc. 16 i. 131 The corn turns yellow and spindly.

1880 I. L. Bird Unbeaten Tracks Japan I. 242 Sandy ridges with nothing on them but spindly Scotch firs and fir scrub.

b. Of growth: Characterized by slimness or attenuation and weakness.

ΘΚΠ

the world > plants > by growth or development > defined by poor growth > [adjective] > spindly or straggling > of growth

spindly1856

1856 G. Glenny Gardener's Every Day Bk. 121/1 Cramped into a weakly spindly growth, a temporary bloom, and a premature decay.

1887 Sat. Rev. 1 Oct. 444 They [sc. trees] developed an abnormal spindly habit in their struggles upwards.

2. In general use: Having a slender elongated form implying, or suggestive of, weakness.

ΘΚΠ

the world > life > the body > bodily shape or physique > slim shape or physique > [adjective]

genta1275

smallc1275

slendera1400

slightc1400

gauntc1440

light-bodiedc1487

jimp?a1513

slender-bodied1611

snever1640

slim1657

gend1676

scranky1735

light built1778

sveltea1825

spindly1827

slimmish1841

slippy1883

slenderish1894

slim-down1978

the world > space > shape > condition of being long in relation to breadth > slenderness > [adjective] > and weak or fragile

feeble1340

tender1390

lean1578

thread-paper1747

toylike1818

spindly1827

spindling1858

1827 Sporting Mag. (N.S.) 20 170 A late writer..complains of our present breed of racers as weak and spindly.

1871 B. Taylor tr. J. W. von Goethe Faust I. vi. 131 Therefore I've worn, like many a spindly youth, False calves these many years upon me.

1883 I. Banks Forbidden to Marry I. vi. 102 Spindly fire-irons.

1892 D. B. W. Sladen Japs at Home xvi The spindly little lacquer tables,..with bowed legs.

Compounds

General attributive.

spindly-legged adj.

ΚΠ

1951 J. Cleary in W. Murdoch & H. Drake-Brockman Austral. Short Stories 434 The other boy and the two girls, the freckle-faced, spindly-legged..girls, are all working now.

1971 Flying Apr. 71/2 It was a big, spindly-legged beast.

spindly-stemmed adj.

ΚΠ

1897 M. Kingsley Trav. W. Afr. 262 Some stretches of this forest were made up of thin, spindly stemmed trees of great height.

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	spindly
释义	spindlyadj. Brit. /ˈspɪndli/, U.S. /ˈspɪn(d)li/ Forms: Also 1700s Scottish spinly. Etymology: < spindle n. 1. a. Of plants: Of a slender and weakly growth. ΘΚΠ the world > plants > by growth or development > defined by poor growth > [adjective] > spindly or straggling spindly1655 straggling1674 spindling1750 gangling1818 speary1821 spindled1855 gangly1886 1655 B. W. in S. Hartlib Legacy (ed. 3) 106 No more then a strong and fairly spread root could have a small and spindly head. 1743 Sel. Trans. Soc. Improvers Knowl. Agric. Scotl. 80 Where it..continues as Quagmire, it is all Fog at Top, with a short spinly thin Grass. 1805 R. W. Dickson Pract. Agric. I. 550 On such lands the growth of the crop may be so retarded as to become weak and spindly. 1855 Jrnl. Royal Agric. Soc. 16 i. 131 The corn turns yellow and spindly. 1880 I. L. Bird Unbeaten Tracks Japan I. 242 Sandy ridges with nothing on them but spindly Scotch firs and fir scrub. b. Of growth: Characterized by slimness or attenuation and weakness. ΘΚΠ the world > plants > by growth or development > defined by poor growth > [adjective] > spindly or straggling > of growth spindly1856 1856 G. Glenny Gardener's Every Day Bk. 121/1 Cramped into a weakly spindly growth, a temporary bloom, and a premature decay. 1887 Sat. Rev. 1 Oct. 444 They [sc. trees] developed an abnormal spindly habit in their struggles upwards. 2. In general use: Having a slender elongated form implying, or suggestive of, weakness. ΘΚΠ the world > life > the body > bodily shape or physique > slim shape or physique > [adjective] genta1275 smallc1275 slendera1400 slightc1400 gauntc1440 light-bodiedc1487 jimp?a1513 slender-bodied1611 snever1640 slim1657 gend1676 scranky1735 light built1778 sveltea1825 spindly1827 slimmish1841 slippy1883 slenderish1894 slim-down1978 the world > space > shape > condition of being long in relation to breadth > slenderness > [adjective] > and weak or fragile feeble1340 tender1390 lean1578 thread-paper1747 toylike1818 spindly1827 spindling1858 1827 Sporting Mag. (N.S.) 20 170 A late writer..complains of our present breed of racers as weak and spindly. 1871 B. Taylor tr. J. W. von Goethe Faust I. vi. 131 Therefore I've worn, like many a spindly youth, False calves these many years upon me. 1883 I. Banks Forbidden to Marry I. vi. 102 Spindly fire-irons. 1892 D. B. W. Sladen Japs at Home xvi The spindly little lacquer tables,..with bowed legs. Compounds General attributive. spindly-legged adj. ΚΠ 1951 J. Cleary in W. Murdoch & H. Drake-Brockman Austral. Short Stories 434 The other boy and the two girls, the freckle-faced, spindly-legged..girls, are all working now. 1971 Flying Apr. 71/2 It was a big, spindly-legged beast. spindly-stemmed adj. ΚΠ 1897 M. Kingsley Trav. W. Afr. 262 Some stretches of this forest were made up of thin, spindly stemmed trees of great height. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < adj.1655
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