Idiom
Through thick and thin
Through thick and thin means through good times and bad times, staying loyal no matter what happens.
How people use it
People use it about loyal friends, partners, families, teams and fans: My best friend has stood by me through thick and thin. Common verbs are stick with, stand by and support. The tone is warm and neutral, often heard in speeches, toasts and cards. It describes long-term loyalty, especially during hard times. It is not about body size or the thickness of anything; the words come from an old image of difficult and easy ground.
Examples
- Sam and Omar have been friends through thick and thin since first grade.
- The fans stayed with the team through thick and thin, even during the losing years.
- My parents have supported my music through thick and thin.
Where it comes from
The phrase comes from an older expression, through thicket and thin wood, describing travel through dense brush and open woodland alike. Geoffrey Chaucer used a form of it in The Canterbury Tales in the late 1300s, describing a horse running off through thick and thin. Over time it came to mean through every kind of situation, good or bad.
Check yourself
1. If a friend has been with you through thick and thin, what has she done?
Answer: Stayed loyal in good and bad times. Through thick and thin means in every situation, good or bad.
2. Where does the phrase come from?
Answer: Traveling through thick and thin woods. It comes from an old phrase about passing through thickets and open woodland.
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