I. lean 1 S3 /liːn/ BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle leaned or leant /lent/ especially British English )
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: hleonian ]
1 . [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move or bend your body in a particular direction
lean forward/back/over etc
They were leaning forward, facing each other.
Lean back and enjoy the ride.
She leant towards him and listened.
2 .
[intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to support yourself in a sloping position against a wall or other surface
lean against/on
He was leaning on the bridge, watching the boats go by.
3 . [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition] to put something in a sloping position where it is supported, or to be in that position
lean (something) against/on something
A huge mirror was leaning against the wall.
He leant his bicycle against the fence.
4 . [intransitive] to slope or bend from an upright position:
trees leaning in the wind
lean on somebody phrasal verb
1 . to depend on someone for support and encouragement, especially at a difficult time:
The couple lean on each other for support.
2 . informal to try to influence someone, especially by threatening them:
He won’t pay unless you lean on him.
lean towards something phrasal verb
to tend to support, or begin to support, a particular set of opinions, beliefs etc:
Canada, the UK and Japan leant towards the US view.
II. lean 2 BrE AmE adjective
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: hlæne ]
1 . thin in a healthy and attractive way:
He was lean, tall, and muscular.
2 . lean meat does not have much fat on it OPP fatty
3 . a lean organization, company etc uses only as much money and as many people as it needs, so that nothing is wasted
4 . a lean period is a very difficult time because there is not enough money, business etc:
His wife was a source of constant support during the lean years.
—leanness noun [uncountable]
• • •
THESAURUS
■ person
▪ thin having little fat on your body:
a tall, thin man
▪ slim thin in an attractive way:
her slim figure
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a slim woman in her fifties
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Magazines are always full of advice about how to stay slim.
▪ slender written thin in an attractive and graceful way – used especially about parts of the body, and used especially about women:
her long, slender legs
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She is slender, with very fair hair.
▪ lean thin and looking healthy and fit:
his lean body
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He was lean and looked like a runner.
▪ skinny very thin in a way that is not attractive:
a skinny teenager
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Your arms are so skinny!
▪ slight written thin and delicate:
a small, slight girl with big eyes
▪ scrawny /ˈskrɔːni $ ˈskrɒː-/ very thin, small, and weak-looking:
a scrawny kid in blue jeans
▪ underweight below the usual weight for someone of your height, and therefore too thin:
He had no appetite and remained underweight.
▪ gaunt /ɡɔːnt $ ɡɒːnt/ written very thin and pale, especially because of illness or continued worry:
He looked gaunt and had not shaved for days.
▪ emaciated /ɪˈmeɪʃieɪtəd, ɪˈmeɪʃieɪtɪd, -si-/ written extremely thin and weak, because you are ill or not getting enough to eat:
The tents were filled with emaciated refugees.
▪ skeletal written used about someone who is so thin that you can see the shape of their bones:
The soldiers were shocked by the skeletal figures of the camp’s prisoners.
▪ anorexic used about someone who is extremely thin because they have a mental illness that makes them stop eating:
Her daughter is anorexic.
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anorexic teenagers