thick as two short planks

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Very stupid.

Register: informal

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

I dunno. He’s thick as two short planks of wood, but his six brothers are all banged up in here, so he’s got eyes and ears all over the prison. Auntie Flip better watch out.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “thick as two short planks” mean?

Very stupid.

Is “thick as two short planks” formal or informal?

thick as two short planks is generally informal.