Meaning of lean
— v., n. leaned leant lean&syling
- 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.
- to incline or bend: He leaned his head forward.
- to cause to lean or rest; prop: to lean a chair against the railing.
- The state is leaning on the company to clean up its industrial wastes.
- 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.
- See(def. 15).
- the act or state of leaning; inclination: The tower has a pronounced lean.
— adj., n. -er, -est,
- (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.
- spare; economical: a lean prose style.
- (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).
- (of a bow) having fine lines; sharp.
- (of ore) having a low mineral content; low-grade.
- the part of flesh that consists of muscle rather than fat.
- the lean part of anything.
- matter that is difficult to set because of complexity or intermixed fonts. Cf. fat (def. 25).
- 1908–91, British film director.
- lean (Thesaurus)