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  What it means

  Literally “to spin thinly.” Means to be in a bad way financially or health-wise — to be struggling, barely getting by.

  Vocabulary

  • cienko — thinly / poorly
  • prząść — to spin (thread)

  Grammar note

  'Cienko' is an adverb modifying 'prząść.' The spinning metaphor: thin thread = weak, fragile situation.

  Cultural context

  A textile metaphor from the era of hand-spinning. Still widely used in modern Polish.

  Intermediate

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