Lean meaning
Lean is defined as to incline, bend or rest on.
An example of lean is for an injured athlete to rest on his teammates as he hobbles to the sidelines.
verb
To incline the weight of the body so as to be supported.
Leaning against the doorpost.
verb
To have a tendency or preference.
A government that leans toward fascism.
verb
To exert pressure.
The boss is leaning on us to meet the deadline.
verb
To set or place so as to be resting or supported.
Leaned the ladder against the wall.
verb
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Meat with little or no fat.
noun
To cause to incline.
Leaned the boards so the rain would run off.
verb
A tilt or an inclination away from the vertical.
noun
To bend or deviate from an upright position; stand at a slant; incline.
verb
To bend or incline the body so as to rest part of one's weight upon or against something.
He leaned on the desk.
verb
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To depend for encouragement, aid, etc.; rely (on or upon)
verb
To have a particular mental inclination; tend (toward or to a certain opinion, attitude, etc.)
verb
To cause to lean.
To lean one's head back; lean the ladder against the house.
verb
The act or condition of leaning; inclination; slant.
noun
With little flesh or fat; thin; spare.
adjective
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Containing little or no fat.
adjective
Lacking in richness, profit, productivity, etc.; meager.
adjective
Deficient in some quality or substance.
A lean mixture in the carburetor.
adjective
Characterized by brevity, incisiveness, directness, etc.
A lean writing style.
adjective
Characterized by economy and efficiency achieved as by eliminating waste, cutting labor costs, shortening lead times, etc.
adjective
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Meat containing little or no fat.
noun
1908-91; Brit. film director.
proper name
To incline, deviate, or bend, from a vertical position; to be in a position thus inclining or deviating.
A leaning column.
She leaned out of the window.
verb
To incline in opinion or desire; to conform in conduct; with to, toward, etc.
I'm leaning towards voting Conservative in the next election.
verb
To rest or rely, for support, comfort, etc.; with on, upon, or against.
verb
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(printing, archaic) Of a character which prevents the compositor from earning the usual wages; opposed to fat.
Lean copy, matter, or type.
adjective
To thin out (a fuel-air mixture): to reduce the fuel flow into the mixture so that there is more air or oxygen.
verb
The definition of lean is with little fat.
An example of lean is a piece of fish.
adjective
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To bend or slant away from the vertical.
verb
To rely for assistance or support.
Lean on me for help.
verb
lean on
- To pressure, as by using influence or through intimidation.
idiom
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs
Origin of lean
- Middle English lenen from Old English hleonian klei- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- Middle English lene from Old English hlǣne
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- From Middle English lenen (“to lean"), from Old English hleonian, hlinian (“to lean, recline, lie down, rest"), from Proto-Germanic *hlinÅnÄ… (“to lean, incline"), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱley-. Cognate via Proto-Germanic with Middle Dutch lenen (“to lean"), German lehnen (“to lean"); via Proto-Indo-European with climate, cline.
From Wiktionary
- From Middle English lene (“lean"), from Old English hlÇ£ne (“lean"), perhaps from Old English hlÇ£nan (“to cause to lean", in the sense of "to cause to bend or lean due to hunger or lack of food"), from Proto-Germanic *hlainijanÄ… (“to cause to lean"). If so, then related to Old English hlinian, hleonian (“to lean").
From Wiktionary
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From Wiktionary