Link Centre Dictionary

lean

UK/ˈliːn/ US/ˈlɪi̯n] ~ [ˈlɪ̈i̯n/ common slang us
verb (5) adjective (5) noun (1)

verb

1.

to incline or bend from a vertical position

  • “She leaned over the banister”
Synonyms
2.

cause to lean or incline

  • “He leaned his rifle against the wall”
3.

have a tendency or disposition to do or be something; be inclined

  • “She tends to be nervous before her lectures”
  • “These dresses run small”
  • “He inclined to corpulence”
Synonyms
4.

rely on for support

  • “We can lean on this man”
5.

cause to lean to the side

  • “Erosion listed the old tree”
Synonyms

adjective

1.

lacking excess flesh

  • “you can”
  • “;”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Similar
2.

lacking in mineral content or combustible material

  • “lean ore”
  • “lean fuel”
Antonyms
3.

containing little excess

  • “a lean budget”
  • “a skimpy allowance”
Synonyms
Similar
4.

low in mineral content

  • “a lean ore”
Similar
5.

not profitable or prosperous

  • “a lean year”
Similar

noun

1.

the property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the vertical

  • “the tower had a pronounced tilt”
  • “the ship developed a list to starboard”
  • “he walked with a heavy inclination to the right”
Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English lene (“lean”), from Old English hlǣne (“lean”), (cognate with Low German leen), perhaps from hlǣnan (“to cause to lean (due to hunger or lack of food)”), from Proto-Germanic *hlainijaną (“to cause to lean”). If so, then related to Old English hlinian, hleonian (“to lean”). Compare Old Norse linr (“mild; soft, limp; weak”), Old High German len (“mild”).

Phrases

  • boneless lean beef trimmings
  • forward leaning
  • lean and mean
  • lean back
  • lean client
  • lean finely textured beef
  • lean in
  • lean into
  • lean nitrogen oxide trap
  • lean on
  • lean thinking
  • leaning board

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

See also

Related verbs

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.