a tendency or inclination
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
lean1 /lin/USA pronunciation
v., leaned or (esp. Brit.) leant/lɛnt/USA pronunciation lean•ing.
lean2 /lin/USA pronunciation adj., -er, -est, n.
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- to bend or tilt (the body) from a vertical position: [no object]She leaned out the window.[~ + object]He leaned his head forward.
- to bend or slant in a particular direction: [no object]The post leans to the left.[~ + object]He leaned the bike to the left.
- to rest or lie on something for support: [no object]She leaned against a wall.[~ + object]He leaned the bike against the railing.
- to depend or rely:[~ + on/upon]He could always lean on them in an emergency.
- to tend to agree with or be in favor of:[no object]They're leaning toward our point of view.
- lean on, [~ + on + object][Informal.]to pressure or threaten:The gangster was leaning on the small businesses for more money.
lean2 /lin/USA pronunciation adj., -er, -est, n.
adj.
- (of persons or animals) without much flesh or fat;
thin:lean cattle. - (of meat) containing little or no fat:lean beefsteak.
- lacking in richness, fullness, quantity, etc.;
poor:a number of very lean years. - spare;
economical:Our business has to become leaner if we are to survive. - the part of flesh that consists of muscle rather than fat.
n. [uncountable]
lean•ing
(lē′ning),USA pronunciation n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- inclination;
tendency:strong literary leanings.
- Middle English leninge, Old English hlining. See lean1, -ing1 bef. 1000
- bent, propensity, proclivity, bias, penchant.
lean1
(lēn),USA pronunciation v., leaned or (esp. Brit.) leant;
lean•ing;
n.
v.i.
v.t.
n.
lean2 (lēn),USA pronunciation adj., -er, -est, n.
adj.
n.
lean′ly, adv.
lean′ness, n.
Lean (lēn),USA pronunciation n.
lean•ing;
n.
v.i.
- 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 fol. by on or upon):someone he could lean on in an emergency.
v.t.
- to incline or bend:He leaned his head forward.
- to cause to lean or rest;
prop:to lean a chair against the railing. - 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.
- Idioms lean over backward(s). See bend1 (def. 15).
n.
- the act or state of leaning;
inclination:The tower has a pronounced lean.
- bef. 900; Middle English lenen, Old English hleonian, hlinian; cognate with German. lehnen; akin to Latin clīnāre to incline, Greek klí̄nein
lean2 (lēn),USA pronunciation adj., -er, -est, n.
adj.
- (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. - Communicationsspare;
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. Cf. fat (def. 12).
- Nautical, Naval Terms(of a bow) having fine lines;
sharp. - Metallurgy(of ore) having a low mineral content;
low-grade.
n.
- the part of flesh that consists of muscle rather than fat.
- the lean part of anything.
- Printing[Typesetting.]matter that is difficult to set because of complexity or intermixed fonts. Cf. fat (def. 25).
- Middle English lene, Old English hlǣne bef. 1000
lean′ness, n.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged skinny, lank, lanky. See thin.
- 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged sparse, barren, unfruitful, jejune.
- 1, 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged fat.
- 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged fruitful.
Lean (lēn),USA pronunciation n.
- Biographical David, 1908–91, British film director.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
- followed 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; followed by to or towards)
to have or express a tendency or leaning
the condition of inclining from a vertical position
(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 air
the part of meat that contains little or no fat