\Slen"der\, a. [Compar. {Slenderer}; superl.
{Slenderest}.] [OE. slendre, sclendre, fr. OD. slinder thin,
slender, perhaps through a French form; cf. OD. slinderen,
slidderen, to creep; perh. akin to E. slide.]
1. Small or narrow in proportion to the length or the height;
   not thick; slim; as, a slender stem or stalk of a plant.
   ``A slender, choleric man.'' --Chaucer.
         She, as a veil down to the slender waist, Her
         unadorned golden tresses wore.        --Milton.
2. Weak; feeble; not strong; slight; as, slender hope; a
   slender constitution.
         Mighty hearts are held in slender chains. --Pope.
         They have inferred much from slender premises. --J.
                                               H. Newman.
         The slender utterance of the consonants. --J. Byrne.
3. Moderate; trivial; inconsiderable; slight; as, a man of
   slender intelligence.
         A slender degree of patience will enable him to
         enjoy both the humor and the pathos.  --Sir W.
                                               Scott.
4. Small; inadequate; meager; pitiful; as, slender means of
   support; a slender pittance.
         Frequent begging makes slender alms.  --Fuller.
5. Spare; abstemious; frugal; as, a slender diet.
         The good Ostorius often deigned To grace my slender
         table with his presence.              --Philips.
6. (Phon.) Uttered with a thin tone; -- the opposite of
   broad; as, the slender vowels long e and i. --
   {Slen"der*ly}, adv. -- {Slen"der*ness}, n.