thickset

/θɪkˈset/ (bre, ipa) · /θɪkˈset/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈthik-ˌset How to pronounce thickset (audio)/ (ame, mw)

thickset — adjective

  • thicksetpositive
  • thicksetercomparative
  • thicksetestsuperlative

1. having a broad, heavy body on a shorter frame, especially with wide shoulders an

1.形容詞C1
釋義

having a broad, heavy body on a shorter frame, especially with wide shoulders and chest.

例句

The thickset waiter carried three heavy soup bowls through the crowd.

thickset + person noun for a broad, solid build

Mina recognized the thickset man from the boxing club near her school.

collocation: thickset man

同義詞
  • stocky

    the everyday word for a short, sturdy body

  • burly

    more informal; suggests greater size and strength

  • squat

    can sound less flattering and stresses low height

反義詞
  • lanky

    tall and thin rather than short and solid

  • slender

    thin and narrow instead of broad and heavy

文法句型

thickset + noun

be thickset

用法筆記

Usually used for a person whose body looks broad and sturdy rather than tall. It describes build, not body fat alone, and often suggests strong shoulders or chest.

常見錯誤

❌The basketball captain is thickset and very tall.
✅The basketball captain is broad-shouldered and very tall.
💡'thickset' usually suggests a shorter, compact build rather than height.

2. growing or arranged with so little space between the parts that the plants form

2.形容詞C2
釋義

growing or arranged with so little space between the parts that the plants form a close, solid mass.

例句

By July, the thickset bean plants had covered most of the fence.

thickset + plant noun for close, dense growth

A thickset hedge hid the small house from the road.

collocation: thickset hedge

同義詞
  • dense

    more general; can describe any closely packed material

  • bushy

    focuses on a plant's full shape rather than how closely many plants stand together

  • compact

    suggests a tight arrangement, but is less strongly tied to plant growth

反義詞
  • sparse

    with plenty of empty space between plants

  • scattered

    spread apart rather than forming a solid patch

文法句型

thickset + plant noun

be thickset with + plants

用法筆記

This sense is mainly used for groups of plants, stems, or branches that stand close together. Distinguish it from sense 1 by subject: hedges, reeds, and beds of plants, not people.

常見錯誤

❌The rose is thickset because it is very tall.
✅The rose bed is thickset because the bushes grow close together.
💡this sense is about crowded growth, not height.