lean

[ leen ]

/ lin /

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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: Because Don was whispering, I had to lean in so I could hear him.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.

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about lean

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

Origin of lean

First recorded before 900; Middle English lenen, Old English hleonian, hlinian; cognate with German lehnen; akin to Greek klī́nein, Latin -clīnāre “to incline ”

Other definitions 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).

OTHER WORDS FOR lean

1 skinny, lank, lanky.

3 sparse, barren, unfruitful, jejune.

See synonyms for lean on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR lean

1, 2 fat.

3 fruitful.

See antonyms for lean on Thesaurus.com

Origin of lean

First recorded before 1000; Middle English lene, lein(e), Old English hlǣne

synonym study for lean

1. See thin.

OTHER WORDS FROM lean

leanly, adverbleanness, noun

Other definitions 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. 2022

How to use lean in a sentence

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
Jimbo and I sat next to each other, Indian style, and leaned against the stack of black Hefty bags and electronics.
I Shot Bin Laden|Elliot Ackerman|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST

An older and firmly round fellow with a trim beard leaned his head back and fought off tears.
I Shot Bin Laden|Elliot Ackerman|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When we were mounted Mac leaned over and muttered an admonitory word for Piegan's ear alone.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
The Seneschal leaned back, and was concerned to feel his pulses throbbing a shade too quickly.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
The baron turned full upon him, and leaned his shoulders against the iron door of the recess.
Checkmate|Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
And Tony leaned over as he talked, bringing their lips within whispering distance.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood
He leaned against that same stone column, thinking, searching in his mind, feeling acutely.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood

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

lean

Idioms about lean

Origin of lean

Other definitions for lean (2 of 3)

OTHER WORDS FOR lean

OPPOSITES FOR lean

Origin of lean

synonym study for lean

OTHER WORDS FROM lean

Other definitions for lean (3 of 3)

Words related to lean

How to use lean in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lean (1 of 3)

Word Origin for lean

British Dictionary definitions for lean (2 of 3)

Derived forms of lean

Word Origin for lean

British Dictionary definitions for lean (3 of 3)