different between slender vs flimsy

English

Etymology

From Middle English slendre, sclendre, from Old French esclendre (“thin, slender”), from Old Dutch slinder (“thin, lank”), from Proto-Germanic *slindraz (“sliding, slippery”), from Proto-Indo-European *sleyd?- (“to slip”). Cognate with Bavarian Schlenderling (“that which dangles”), German schlendern (“to saunter, stroll”), Dutch slidderen, slinderen (“to wriggle, creep like a serpent”), Low German slindern (“to slide on ice”). More at slide, slither.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?sl?nd?/
• (General American) enPR: sl?n?d?r, IPA^(key): /?sl?nd?/
• Rhymes: -?nd?(?)
• Hyphenation: slen?der

Adjective

slender (comparative slenderer, superlative slenderest)

1. Thin; slim.

2. (figuratively) meagre; deficient

   Being a person of slender means, he was unable to afford any luxuries.

3. (Gaelic languages) Palatalized.

Synonyms

• (thin): lithe, svelte, willowy; see also Thesaurus:slender
• (meagre): insufficient, scarce, sparse; see also Thesaurus:inadequate

Antonyms

• (palatalized): broad
• See also Thesaurus:obese

Derived terms

• slender reed

Translations

Anagrams

• lenders, relends

English

Etymology

Origin uncertain. First used in the 18th century. Perhaps a metathesis of film +? -s +? -y; or related to flimflam.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?fl?mzi/

Adjective

flimsy (comparative flimsier or more flimsy, superlative flimsiest or most flimsy)

1. Likely to bend or break under pressure.

   Synonyms: weak, shaky, flexible, fragile

   Antonyms: robust, strong, sturdy

   • 1715, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The Rivals

     All the flimsy furniture of a country miss's brain.

2. (figuratively) Weak; ill-founded.

   Synonyms: weak, feeble, unconvincing

   Antonyms: well-founded, substantiated

Translations

Noun

flimsy (plural flimsies)

1. Thin typing paper used to make multiple copies.
   • 1977, John Le Carré, The Honourable Schoolboy, Folio Society 2010, p. 251:

     Smiley peered once more at the flimsy which he still clutched in his pudgy hand.

2. (naval slang) A service certificate
   • 1964, Australia. Parliament, Records of the Proceedings and Printed Papers of the Parliament

     A perusal of the comments of officers under whom he has served as recorded in his “flimsies" indicates that he has almost consistently received high commendation for his service.

   • 1994, John Wells, The Royal Navy: An Illustrated Social History, 1870-1982 (page 7)

     Regulations required a commanding officer to render annual confidential reports on the character and ability of his officers - with particular reference to sobriety - on forms known as 'flimsies'.

3. (informal, in the plural) Skimpy underwear.
4. (slang) A banknote.

Translations