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.

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You may have read the word "simmer" in a recipe or two, but what does it really mean?

To cook in water that begins cold and then reaches a boil.

To stew in a sauce for a long time.

To cook in water, just below boiling temperature.

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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).

Origin of lean

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

SYNONYMS FOR lean

1 skinny, lank, lanky.

3 sparse, barren, unfruitful, jejune.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR lean

ANTONYMS FOR lean

1, 2 fat.

3 fruitful.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR lean

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. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for lean

The marquis, with his leanness and small crafty-looking head, reminded him exactly of a long green grasshopper.
The Fortune of the Rougons|Emile Zola
He then abused me for my leanness, and admired the Taleb (Overweg), because he had more flesh on his bones.
Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 2|James Richardson
The old age of Pantaloon is marked by his leanness, and his spectacles and his slippers.
A History of Pantomime|R. J. Broadbent
His leanness was the leanness of muscular strength and condition, his face was full of vigour and determination.
The Evil Shepherd|E. Phillips Oppenheim

At the same time, he felt dull and deserted; he knew what it was to have his desire, and leanness in his soul.
Frances Kane's Fortune|L. T. Meade

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

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lean

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

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