Having the quality or appearance of thread; thin and weak, like a barely detectable pulse.
From Old English 'thrǽd' meaning twisted fibers, combined with '-y' to make an adjective. Originally described textiles, then extended to describe anything thin or weak.
Doctors use 'thready pulse' to describe a heartbeat so weak it feels like the thinnest thread—the metaphor captures something medical instruments measure, but in language that helps people understand serious conditions.
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