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Glite Dictionary
thin time of it

thin time of it

9.2
A period when someone has many problems
  • idiom
  • UK
translation icon : momento difícil
  • Without proper guidance, he really had a thin time of it at university.

Examples

  • After moving to the city alone, she had a thin time of it until she found friends.

  • The company had a thin time of it during the recession but survived in the end.

  • During the recession, many families went through a thin time of it.

  • I know that you're having a thin time of it right now.

  • After losing her job, she went through a thin time of it and struggled to find a new source of income.

  • During the winter, many families experience a thin time of it due to rising heating costs.

  • He had a thin time of it during his studies as he faced many personal challenges.

Synonyms

to have a hard time
vsthin time of it
241 3.7

Find something difficult to do

is about being in a period of hardship rather than a single struggle
rough time of it
vsthin time of it
  • Informal
2 6.5

A period when someone has many problems

is about having a period of difficulty without stressing continuity
bad time of it
vsthin time of it
1 6.1

A time when someone has trouble

is broader meaning hardship or challenge without explicit suffering
poor time of it
vsthin time of it
  • UK
7.5

A period when someone has many problems and feels unhappy

is about difficulty framed as a challenging period rather than just unpleasantness
to have a time of it
vsthin time of it
  • UK
8.2

Find it very difficult to do something

is about being in a difficult period more generally, not only during tasks

Antonyms

easy time of it
  • Informal
1 1.7

A situation that is not difficult and needs little effort

How Hard

dire straits
  • Informal
11 7.4
struggle
466 3.2
thin time of it
  • UK
9.2
to get by
121 3.1

Surface Forms

thin time of it singular
thin times of it plural

Morphology

thin + time + of + it

The adjective 'thin' can metaphorically convey scarcity and combined with 'time' (a period) a B1 learner who knows both words could plausibly infer a period of hardship. However, the specific phrasing 'thin time of it' is idiomatic and less predictable (and not as common as 'lean times'), so the meaning is only partially derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Thin time of it likely comes from the image of food or money becoming thin, meaning there was very little left, so people went through a thin time when supplies were low. That's why it means 'to experience a period of difficulty'.