thickness
/ˈθɪknəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈθɪknəs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈthik-nəs/ (ame, mw)
thickness — noun
- thicknesssingular
- thicknessesplural
1. how closely packed or full of matter something is, so that it seems solid, crowd
how closely packed or full of matter something is, so that it seems solid, crowded, or hard to see through — for example, a forest where trees grow very close, or fog so dense that it blocks your view.
The thickness of the forest made it hard for sunlight to reach the ground.
collocation: thickness of + forest/fog/hair
Sora was surprised by the thickness of his cat's fur after the cold winter.
Devika applied a hair mask to improve the thickness of her naturally thin hair.
The thickness of the morning fog meant that drivers had to stop on the road.
- density
more scientific; thickness describes how closely packed parts are, while density also involves weight per unit of space
- compactness
formal; focuses on the idea of parts being pressed tightly together
- thinness
the opposite quality — having few parts spread far apart
文法句型
the thickness of + noun
用法筆記
Uncountable only. Commonly paired with 'of' before the noun describing the dense material (e.g. the thickness of the fog, the thickness of the hair).
2. the distance from one surface of an object to the opposite surface, especially w
the distance from one surface of an object to the opposite surface, especially when this is smaller than the object's length or width — for example, knowing that a wall is 20 centimetres from its front face to its back face.
Cole measured the thickness of the wooden plank before cutting it.
collocation: measure/check the thickness
The old stone wall had a thickness of nearly two metres in some places.
Plywood comes in several thicknesses, from three millimetres to twenty-five.
Adina checked the thickness of the book before deciding whether to buy it.
文法句型
a thickness of + number + unit
in thickness
用法筆記
Can be countable (different thicknesses for different measurements) or uncountable (general concept). When specifying a value, the pattern 'a thickness of [number]' is idiomatic.
常見錯誤
3. a single sheet, coating, or level of a material that lies on top of something or
a single sheet, coating, or level of a material that lies on top of something or between other materials — for example, putting several thicknesses of newspaper on a table before painting.
The package was wrapped in several thicknesses of bubble wrap for protection.
countable: several thicknesses of
For extra warmth in winter, Linh wore two thicknesses of woollen socks.
The windows had a double thickness of glass to keep out the cold.
Selim placed a single thickness of cardboard under the leaking pipe.
文法句型
a thickness of + noun
several thicknesses of + noun
用法筆記
Always countable. Frequently used in the plural (several thicknesses) or with modifiers like 'double', 'single', 'multiple' before 'thickness'.
常見錯誤
4. how slowly or easily a liquid pours, based on how strongly its parts resist move
how slowly or easily a liquid pours, based on how strongly its parts resist movement — for example, the thickness of honey makes it pour much more slowly than water.
Élise tested the thickness of the soup by watching how slowly it poured.
collocation: test/adjust the thickness of + liquid
In cold weather, engine oil has a greater thickness and flows more slowly.
Dario added water to reduce the thickness of the gravy he was making.
The thickness of the honey made it difficult to spread on the toast.
- viscosity
the formal scientific term; 'thickness' is the everyday word for the same idea
- consistency
broader term describing how firm or thick a substance feels; thickness focuses specifically on resistance to flow
- thinness
the quality of a liquid that pours easily, like water or milk
文法句型
the thickness of + liquid
adjust/reduce the thickness
用法筆記
Uncountable. In cooking, 'adjust the thickness' usually means add liquid (to reduce) or add flour/cornstarch (to increase). In engineering, 'viscosity' is the preferred technical term.