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scrawny definition

scrawny (skrô′nē)

adjective scrawnier -·nier, scrawniest -·ni·est

  1. very thin; skinny and bony
  2. stunted or scrubby

Etymology: prob. var. of dial. scranny, lean, thin < Scand base > scrannel

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

scrawny Synonyms

scrawny

modif.

lanky, gaunt, lean, skinny; see thin 2.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

scrawny Usage Examples

Preposition: for

  • beef: They are too scrawny for beef and used to be transported to continental veal crates.

Modifies a noun

  • neck: He was an intense man, with his shirt buttoned to his scrawny neck, the creases in his trousers like knives.

Modifying Another Word

  • too: A male calf, too scrawny for the meat industry, is often shot.
scrawny usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

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"scrawny." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/scrawny>

APA Style

scrawny. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/scrawny

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