lean
5 ENTRIES FOUND:
Britannica Dictionary definition of LEAN
1
a
[no object]
:
to bend or move from a straight position
-
The tree leans to one side.
-
He leaned back in his chair.
-
They leaned over the table to smell the flowers.
b
[+ object]
:
to cause (something) to bend or move from a straight position
-
They leaned their heads back.
-
He leaned his chair back.
2
a
[no object]
:
to rest on or against something or someone for support
-
You can lean on me if you get tired.
-
She stood leaning on her right leg.
-
The ladder was leaning against the house.
b
[+ object]
:
to cause (something) to rest on or against something
-
He leaned the ladder against the house.
-
The boy leaned his head on his mother's shoulder.
3
a
— used to describe what someone wants to do, tends to do, or is likely to do
— often + toward
-
She hasn't made a decision yet, and I don't know which way she's leaning.
-
She's leaning toward a career in medicine. [=she is probably going to choose a career in medicine]
-
The mayor is leaning toward closing down the school.
b
— used to say that someone supports one group or set of beliefs more than another
— often + toward
-
an independent presidential candidate who leans toward the Democrats and their views
c
— used to say that something is more like one thing than another
— often + toward
-
Her new album leans more toward rock than country.
lean on
[phrasal verb]
1
lean on (someone or something)
:
to depend on (someone or something) for support
-
He leaned on his family during the crisis.
-
She was someone you could lean on.
2
lean on (someone)
informal
:
to force or try to force (someone) to do something especially by making threats
:
to put pressure on (someone)
-
They were leaning on the governor to pass the law.
lean over backward
2
lean
/liːn/
adjective
leaner;
leanest
2
lean
/liːn/
adjective
leaner;
leanest
Britannica Dictionary definition of LEAN
[also more lean; most lean]
1
:
not having much fat on the body
:
physically thin, strong, and healthy
-
She has a lean, athletic body.
-
a lean racehorse
2
:
containing little or no fat
-
lean meat
-
(US) lean ground beef
3
:
not having or producing much money, food, etc.
-
Those were lean years for the company. [=the company did not make much money in those years]
-
a lean budget/profit/harvest
4
usually approving
:
not using a lot of something (such as words or money)
:
not wasteful
-
He had a lean style of writing. [=his writing style did not use too many words]
-
She ran a lean and efficient company.
-
We wanted our business to be lean and mean.
lean
suggests a lack of unnecessary fat and may also suggest the muscular body of an athlete.
-
the strong lean legs of a runner
thin
can describe a person whose lack of fat is unhealthy, but it also often describes a person who is considered attractive.
-
a thin and sickly old man
-
The room was full of beautiful thin women.
skinny
describes a person who has an extremely thin appearance and who may not be healthy or eat enough food.
-
skinny children in poor countries
-
skinny legs
