'Lean' definitions:
Definition of 'lean'
(from WordNet)
adjective
Lacking excess flesh; "you can't be too rich or too thin"; "Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look"-Shakespeare [syn: thin, lean] [ant: fat]
adjective
Lacking in mineral content or combustible material; "lean ore"; "lean fuel" [ant: rich]
adjective
Containing little excess; "a lean budget"; "a skimpy allowance" [syn: lean, skimpy]
adjective
Not profitable or prosperous; "a lean year"
noun
The property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the vertical; "the tower had a pronounced tilt"; "the ship developed a list to starboard"; "he walked with a heavy inclination to the right" [syn: tilt, list, inclination, lean, leaning]
verb
To incline or bend from a vertical position; "She leaned over the banister" [syn: lean, tilt, tip, slant, angle]
verb
Cause to lean or incline; "He leaned his rifle against the wall"
verb
Have a tendency or disposition to do or be something; be inclined; "She tends to be nervous before her lectures"; "These dresses run small"; "He inclined to corpulence" [syn: tend, be given, lean, incline, run]
verb
Rely on for support; "We can lean on this man"
verb
Cause to lean to the side; "Erosion listed the old tree" [syn: list, lean]
Definition of 'Lean'
From: GCIDE
- Lean \Lean\, n.
- 1. That part of flesh which consists principally of muscle without the fat. [1913 Webster]
- The fat was so white and the lean was so ruddy. --Goldsmith. [1913 Webster]
- 2. (Typog.) Unremunerative copy or work. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Lean'
From: GCIDE
- Lean \Lean\, v. t. [From Lean, v. i.; AS. hl[=ae]nan, v. t., fr. hleonian, hlinian, v. i.] To cause to lean; to incline; to support or rest. --Mrs. Browning. [1913 Webster]
- His fainting limbs against an oak he leant. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Lean'
From: GCIDE
- Lean \Lean\ (l[=e]n), a. [Compar. Leaner (l[=e]n"[~e]r); superl. Leanest.] [OE. lene, AS. hl[=ae]ne; prob. akin to E. lean to incline. See Lean, v. i. ]
- 1. Wanting flesh; destitute of or deficient in fat; slim; not plump; slender; meager; thin; lank; as, a lean body; a lean cattle. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Wanting fullness, richness, sufficiency, or productiveness; deficient in quality or contents; slender; scant; barren; bare; mean; -- used literally and figuratively; as, the lean harvest; a lean purse; a lean discourse; lean wages. "No lean wardrobe." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- Their lean and flashy songs. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
- What the land is, whether it be fat or lean. --Num. xiii. 20. [1913 Webster]
- Out of my lean and low ability I'll lend you something. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 3. (Typog.) Of a character which prevents the compositor from earning the usual wages; -- opposed to fat; as, lean copy, matter, or type. [1913 Webster]
- Syn: slender; spare; thin; meager; lank; skinny; gaunt. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Lean'
From: GCIDE
- Lean \Lean\ (l[=e]n), v. t. [Icel. leyna; akin to G. l[aum]ugnen to deny, AS. l[=y]gnian, also E. lie to speak falsely.] To conceal. [Obs.] --Ray. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Lean'
From: GCIDE
- Lean \Lean\ (l[=e]n), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Leaned (l[=e]nd), sometimes Leant (l[e^]nt); p. pr. & vb. n. Leaning.] [OE. lenen, AS. hlinian, hleonian, v. i.; akin to OS. hlin[=o]n, D. leunen, OHG. hlin[=e]n, lin[=e]n, G. lehnen, L. inclinare, Gr. kli`nein, L. clivus hill, slope. [root]40. Cf. Declivity, Climax, Incline, Ladder.]
- 1. To incline, deviate, or bend, from a vertical position; to be in a position thus inclining or deviating; as, she leaned out at the window; a leaning column. "He leant forward." --Dickens. [1913 Webster]
- 2. To incline in opinion or desire; to conform in conduct; -- with to, toward, etc. [1913 Webster]
- They delight rather to lean to their old customs. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
- 3. To rest or rely, for support, comfort, and the like; -- with on, upon, or against. [1913 Webster]
- He leaned not on his fathers but himself. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster]