slim
adjective
uk/slɪm/ ussmall or slight, especially in a way that makes success difficult:
The trend was upwards, but the gains were slim.
The polls show Brackett leading by a slim 51% to her opponent's 49%.
The pizza delivery chain operates on a philosophy of slim margins and huge volume.
a slim chance or possibility is not likely to happen or be true:
The likelihood of selling the machinery at that price is slim.
a slim chance/possibility A member of the board said there was only a slim chance of the merger succeeding.
There is still a slim hope of the negotiations ending well for union members.
a slim company or organization is one that has been made smaller, and often more effective, by reducing the number of employees it has:
The result of the changes is a slimmer organization that is better able to respond to its customers.
slim
verb [ I or T ]
uk/slɪm/ us-mm- (also slim (sth) down)to reduce the number of people who work in a company or organization, often so that it operates more effectively:
Margins are to be widened and central expenses slimmed down.
The government developed a public works program as one way of slimming the 12% jobless rate.
slim (down) to sth Having slimmed down to around 1400 staff, the company is now recruiting again.
slimming
noun [ U ]
Investors applauded the government's 10% slimming of budget spending.