Word
thickly
Phoneticsthick·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈθɪkɫi/
UK/θˈɪkli/
Adverb of manner
Definition
adv. in a thick way, with a lot of something packed closely together or spread in a deep layer.
adv. in a dense, deep, or closely packed way, with little space between parts. Often describes how something covers, grows, falls, or spreads.
Examples
“She spreads butter thickly on warm toast.”
“Snow falls thickly outside, so the bus moves slowly through the white streets.”
“Fog settles thickly over the valley, blurring the lights of distant farms into soft, glowing patches.”
Examples
simple
“She spreads butter thickly on warm toast.”
contextual
“Snow falls thickly outside, so the bus moves slowly through the white streets.”
complex
“Fog settles thickly over the valley, blurring the lights of distant farms into soft, glowing patches.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “thickly” in context.
Verb
01. coat thickly
“Coat the walls thickly with primer before painting.”
verb + adv
02. fall thickly
“Snow was falling thickly outside the cottage.”
verb + adv
03. hang thickly
“Smoke hung thickly in the air after the fire.”
verb + adv
04. lie thickly
“Snow lay thickly over the fields in the morning.”
verb + adv
05. plant thickly
“The pines were planted thickly along the boundary.”
verb + adv
06. settle thickly
“Dust had settled thickly on the unused furniture.”
verb + adv
07. slice thickly
“Slice the bread thickly for sandwiches.”
verb + adv
08. spread thickly
“Spread the jam thickly on warm toast for breakfast.”
verb + adv
09. a thickly wooded valley
“We hiked through a thickly wooded valley behind the village.”
10. hang thickly in the air
“Fog hung thickly in the air and delayed morning flights.”
11. lie thickly on the ground
“Autumn leaves lay thickly on the ground in the park.”
12. slice the bread thickly
“She sliced the bread thickly to serve with the soup.”
Usage
Typically placed after the verb or after the object of the verb it modifies.
Etymology
From Middle English thikly; equivalent to thick + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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