lean

¹lean

verb \ˈlēn\

leaned \ˈlēnd, chiefly British ˈlent\ lean·ing \ˈlē-niŋ\

Definition of LEAN

intransitive verb

1

a : to incline, deviate, or bend from a vertical position

b : to cast one's weight to one side for support

2

: to rely for support or inspiration

3

: to incline in opinion, taste, or desire <leaning toward a career in chemistry>

transitive verb

: to cause to lean : incline

— lean on

: to apply pressure to

Origin of LEAN

Middle English lenen, from Old English hleonian; akin to Old High German hlinēn to lean, Greek klinein, Latin clinare

First Known Use: before 12th century

Rhymes with LEAN

bean, clean, dean, Dean, Deane, dene, e'en, gene, glean, green, jean, keen, lien, mean, mesne, mien, peen, preen, quean, queen, scene, screen, sheen, shin, sin, spean, spleen, teen, tween, wean, ween, wheen, yean

²lean

noun

Definition of LEAN

: the act or an instance of leaning : inclination

First Known Use of LEAN

1776

³lean

adjective

Definition of LEAN

1

a : lacking or deficient in flesh

b : containing little or no fat <lean meat>

2

: lacking richness, sufficiency, or productiveness <lean profits> <the lean years>

3

: deficient in an essential or important quality or ingredient: as

a of ore : containing little valuable mineral

b : low in combustible component —used especially of fuel mixtures

4

: characterized by economy (as of style, expression, or operation)

— lean·ly adverb

— lean·ness \ˈlēn-nəs\ noun

Examples of LEAN

1. She has a lean, athletic body.
2. <all of the marathoners are extremely lean>

Origin of LEAN

Middle English lene, from Old English hlǣne

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to LEAN

Synonyms

bony (also boney), fatless, thin, lithe, skinny, slender, slim, spare, svelte

Antonyms

chubby, corpulent, fat, gross, obese, overweight, plump, portly, rotund, tubby

Related Words

clean-limbed, trim; sylphlike, willowy; angular, rawboned, scraggy, scrawny, sinewy, wiry; lank, lanky, rangy, reedy, spindling, spindly, stringy, twiggy, waspish, weedy; anorectic (also anoretic), anorexic, cadaverous, emaciated, gaunt, haggard, pinched, skeletal, wasted, wizened; meager (or meagre), puny, slight

Near Antonyms

beefy, bulky, chunky, fleshy, heavy, heavyset, stocky, stout, thick, thickset, weighty; brawny, burly, husky; dumpy, pudgy, roly-poly, squat, stubby; paunchy, potbellied; flabby, soft; buxom, zaftig (also zoftig); fleshed-out, full, hippy, round

Synonym Discussion of LEAN

lean, spare, lank, lanky, gaunt, rawboned, scrawny, skinny mean thin because of an absence of excess flesh. lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours <a lean racehorse>. spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise <the gymnast's spare figure>. lank implies tallness as well as leanness <the lank legs of the heron>. lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness <a lanky youth, all arms and legs>. gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering <a prisoner's gaunt face>. rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment <a rawboned farmer>. scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality <a scrawny chicken> <skinny street urchins>.

⁴lean

transitive verb

Definition of LEAN

: to make lean

First Known Use of LEAN

before 12th century

⁵lean

noun

Definition of LEAN

: the part of meat that consists principally of lean muscle

First Known Use of LEAN

15th century

Lean

biographical name \ˈlēn\

Definition of LEAN

Sir David 1908–1991 British film director