Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Very thin and bony: synonym: lean.
  • adjective Stunted or straggly.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Meager; wasted; raw-boned; lean: as, a scrawny person; scrawny hens.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Meager; thin; rawboned; bony; scranny.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Thin, malnourished and weak.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective being very thin
  • adjective inferior in size or quality

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Alteration of dialectal scranny, possibly of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian skran, lean.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Perhaps from Old Norse skrælna ("to be shrivelled").

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Examples

  • Governor Schwarzenegger saying he would help Barack Obama work on what he called his scrawny legs and also his skinny biceps as well.

    CNN Transcript Oct 31, 2008 2008

  • After kicking, cursing and fighting for her life, her fingers were pried off the wheel by the men, whom she described as scrawny but determined as ever to take her car.

    News from www.rep-am.com 2008

  • After kicking, cursing and fighting for her life, her fingers were pried off the wheel by the men, whom she described as scrawny but determined as ever to take her car.

    News from www.rep-am.com 2008

  • Because I looked like somebody who might actually have athletic ability - I've never been what you'd call "scrawny" - I was among the first picked for a team.

    Vonnegut's Asshole 2009

  • Parween was tiny; her brothers even called her scrawny.

    Lipstick in Afghanistan Roberta Gately 2010

  • The gene -- called scrawny because of the appearance of mutant adult flies -- appears to be a key factor in keeping a variety of stem cells in their undifferentiated state, the researchers at the Carnegie Institution's Department of Embryology say in an article to be published Friday in the journal Science.

    Earth News, Earth Science, Energy Technology, Environment News 2009

  • The moderate Republican Schwarzenegger had criticized Obama in his only appearance of the general election campaign with John McCain - the Friday before the election in Columbus, Ohio, site of Schwarzenegger's annual Arnold Classic sports festival - as "scrawny" and a big taxer.

    William Bradley: Obama's California: The Arnold Alliance and More 2009

  • Schwarzenegger stirred a little controversy when he called Obama "scrawny" during the presidential primaries, but, ironically, it was the Governor who couldn't do the heavy lifting that real change in health care requires.

    Jamie Court: What Obama Can Learn from Arnold 2009

  • Arnold Schwarzenegger, apparently filling in for "Joe the Plumber," told a John McCain rally in Columbus, Ohio, this afternoon that Obama has "scrawny" legs, among other things.

    OpEdNews - Quicklink: Obama at Wicker Park - Gary, Indiana 2008

  • Arnold Schwarzenegger, apparently filling in for 'Joe the Plumber,' told a John McCain rally in Columbus, Ohio, this afternoon that Obama has 'scrawny' legs, among other things.

    OpEdNews - Quicklink: Obama at Wicker Park - Gary, Indiana 2008

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