thick as thieves
7
7.4
- idiom
- Informal
:
íntimos
- My best friend and I are thick as thieves; we share everything with each other.
So I mean, me and her, we're thick as thieves now.
- So I mean, me and her, we're thick as thieves now.
Examples
-
St. Ed was right; they were thick as thieves.
Fiction book (1993) -
You know, you're obviously as thick as thieves in this precinct.
-
You guys are thick as thieves.
-
For seven years, me and your old man were as thick as thieves.
-
We were thick as thieves.
-
The two of you are as thick as thieves.
Fiction book (1990) -
"Listen," Henry said, "tonight we're thick as thieves."
Fiction book (2000) -
The three were thick as thieves.
Fiction book (1999) -
Well, they're certainly as thick as thieves.
-
That sheriff, the judge, the mayor, and the county commissioner, they're as thick as thieves.
Fiction book (1995)
Synonyms
16
3.6
People in a group who know each other well and help each other
16
7.8
Being very friendly and close to someone
2
7.0
Working very closely in a secret or dishonest way
1
3.7
A group of people who help and support each other
Antonyms
How Close
Surface Forms
Morphology
The expression uses the familiar comparative pattern 'as ... as', so learners can tell it's a simile, but the attributive sense of 'thick' = 'very close' is non-literal and may be unknown to a B1 learner who only knows the basic senses. The reference to 'thieves' is figurative (implying collusion or secrecy) rather than literal, so the overall meaning is partly inferable from form and partly idiomatic, making it not fully predictable without exposure.
Etymology
Thick as thieves may come from the image of real thieves who must stay very close and trust each other to hide plans and secrets. That is why the phrase now means 'very close' and 'sharing secrets'.