lean

[ leen ]

/ lin /

verb (used without object), leaned or (especially British) leant; lean·ing.

to incline or bend from a vertical position: She leaned out the window.

to incline, as in a particular direction; slant: The post leans to the left. The building leaned sharply before renovation.

to incline in feeling, opinion, action, etc.: to lean toward socialism.

to rest against or on something for support: to lean against a wall.

to depend or rely (usually followed by on or upon): someone he could lean on in an emergency.

verb (used with object), leaned or (especially British) leant; lean·ing.

to incline or bend: He leaned his head forward.

to cause to lean or rest; prop: to lean a chair against the railing.

noun

the act or state of leaning; inclination: The tower has a pronounced lean.

Verb Phrases

lean in,

to shift one's body weight forward or toward someone or something: He stood near home plate and leaned in for the pitch.
to embrace risk, be assertive, etc., as to achieve the greatest level of success in the workplace: She really knows how to lean in—she'll have a corner office before long.

lean on, Informal.

to exert influence or pressure on in order to gain cooperation, maintain discipline, or the like: The state is leaning on the company to clean up its industrial wastes.
to criticize, reprimand, or punish: I would have enjoyed school more if the teachers hadn't leaned on me so much.

QUIZZES

LEARN THE SPANISH WORDS FOR THESE COMMON ANIMALS!

Are you learning Spanish? Or do you just have an interest in foreign languages? Either way, this quiz on Spanish words for animals is for you.

Question 1 of 13

How do you say “cat” 🐈 in Spanish?

gato/gata

cato/cata

gatto/gatta

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for lean

lean over backward(s). bend¹ (def. 21).

Origin of lean

before 900; Middle English lenen,Old English hleonian, hlinian; cognate with G. lehnen; akin to Latin clīnāre to incline, Greek klī́nein

Definition for lean (2 of 3)

lean²

[ leen ]

/ lin /

adjective, lean·er, lean·est.

(of persons or animals) without much flesh or fat; not plump or fat; thin: lean cattle.

(of edible meat) containing little or no fat.

lacking in richness, fullness, quantity, etc.; poor: a lean diet; lean years.

spare; economical: a lean prose style.

Automotive. (of a mixture in a fuel system) having a relatively low ratio of fuel to air (contrasted with rich).

(of paint) having more pigment than oil.Compare fat (def. 12).

Nautical. (of a bow) having fine lines; sharp.

Metallurgy. (of ore) having a low mineral content; low-grade.

noun

the part of flesh that consists of muscle rather than fat.

the lean part of anything.

Typesetting. matter that is difficult to set because of complexity or intermixed fonts.Compare fat (def. 23).

SYNONYMS FOR lean

1 skinny, lank, lanky.

3 sparse, barren, unfruitful, jejune.

See synonyms for lean on Thesaurus.com

ANTONYMS FOR lean

1, 2 fat.

3 fruitful.

See antonyms for lean on Thesaurus.com

Origin of lean

First recorded before 1000; Middle English lene,Old English hlǣne

synonym study for lean

1. See thin.

OTHER WORDS FROM lean

leanly, adverbleanness, noun

Definition for lean (3 of 3)

Lean

[ leen ]

/ lin /

noun

David, 1908–91, British film director.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for lean

Freed from her guitar, but wearing counterintuitive pumps, she leaned back like a trapeze artist.
Is Bigger Better for St. Vincent?|David Yaffe|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
My partner got in the “tub” first and I leaned back on her so she could give me the old reacharound.
I Tried Cosmo’s New Lesbian Sex Tips|Samantha Allen|November 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He pressed a hollow shell casing into my palm and leaned towards my ear, “I PICKED IT UP FROM THE BEDROOM!”
I Shot Bin Laden|Elliot Ackerman|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As that clip played, Camille leaned over and gave her husband a playful poke in the ribs.
Why Comedians Still Think Bill Cosby Is a Genius|Mark Whitaker|October 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST

When he opened the door, he leaned on his oxygen tank as police shone a spotlight on him.
'Go Ahead and Shoot Me': The Veteran Who Defied Ferguson's Cops|Justin Glawe|August 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She leaned toward him, and to poor Tom she looked the incarnation of enticing loveliness.
A Book o' Nine Tales.|Arlo Bates
As he watched the front of the truck, Jake, who stood a few feet to one side, leaned out and seized his shoulder.
Brandon of the Engineers|Harold Bindloss
Priscilla leaned over the gunwale and stared long at the boat which Frank pointed out.
Priscilla's Spies|George A. Birmingham
Against the back of the cushioned settle where they sat she leaned a weary head, and frankly let her fringed lids droop.
Queed|Henry Sydnor Harrison
The latter, looking at Pellisson, leaned upon the surintendante, and pressed the icy hand of the Marquise de Belliere.
The Vicomte de Bragelonne|Alexandre Dumas

British Dictionary definitions for lean (1 of 3)

lean¹

/ (liːn) /

verb leans, leaning, leaned or leant

(foll by against, on, or upon) to rest or cause to rest against a support

to incline or cause to incline from a vertical position

(intr; foll by to or towards) to have or express a tendency or leaning

lean over backwards informal to make a special effort, esp in order to please

noun

the condition of inclining from a vertical position

Word Origin for lean

Old English hleonian, hlinian; related to Old High German hlinēn, Latin clīnāre to incline

British Dictionary definitions for lean (2 of 3)

lean²

/ (liːn) /

adjective

(esp of a person or an animal) having no surplus flesh or bulk; not fat or plump

not bulky or full

(of meat) having little or no fat

not rich, abundant, or satisfying

(of a mixture of fuel and air) containing insufficient fuel and too much aira lean mixture

(of printer's type) having a thin appearance

(of a paint) containing relatively little oil

(of an ore) not having a high mineral content

(of concrete) made with a small amount of cement

noun

the part of meat that contains little or no fat

Derived forms of lean

leanly, adverbleanness, noun

Word Origin for lean

Old English hlǣne, of Germanic origin

British Dictionary definitions for lean (3 of 3)

Lean

/ (liːn) /

noun

Sir David. 1908–91, English film director. His films include In Which We Serve (1942), Blithe Spirit (1945), Brief Encounter (1946), Great Expectations (1946), Oliver Twist (1948), The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Dr Zhivago (1965), and A Passage to India (1984)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

lean

verb (used without object), leaned or (especially British) leant; lean·ing.

verb (used with object), leaned or (especially British) leant; lean·ing.