Lean Definition

lēn

leaned, leaner, leanest, leaning, leans, leant

verb

leaned, leaning, leans, leant

To bend or deviate from an upright position; stand at a slant; incline.

Webster's New World

To bend or incline the body so as to rest part of one's weight upon or against something.

He leaned on the desk.

Webster's New World

To depend for encouragement, aid, etc.; rely (on or upon)

Webster's New World

To cause to lean.

To lean one's head back; lean the ladder against the house.

Webster's New World

To have a tendency or preference.

A government that leans toward fascism.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Antonyms:
disregard
forget
straighten
dislike
not like
be disinclined

noun

leans

A tilt or an inclination away from the vertical.

American Heritage

The act or condition of leaning; inclination; slant.

Webster's New World

Meat containing little or no fat.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

adjective

leaner, leanest

With little flesh or fat; thin; spare.

Webster's New World

Containing little or no fat.

Webster's New World

Lacking in richness, profit, productivity, etc.; meager.

Webster's New World

Not productive or prosperous; meager.

Lean years.

American Heritage

Containing little excess or waste; spare.

A lean budget.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Antonyms:
chubby
fat
plump
rich

idiom

lean on

to pressure, as by using influence or through intimidation

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Lean

Adjective

Base Form:

lean

Comparative:

leaner

Superlative:

leanest

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Lean

lean on

Origin of Lean

From Middle English lenen (“to lean"), from Old English hleonian, hlinian (“to lean, recline, lie down, rest"), from Proto-Germanic *hlinōnÄ… (“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
Middle English lenen from Old English hleonian klei- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Icelandic leyna?; akin to German word for "deny". Compare lie (“speak falsely").

From Wiktionary
Middle English lene from Old English hlǣne

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition