lean

1. to incline or bend from a vertical position:

   She leaned out the window.

2. to incline, as in a particular direction; slant:

   The post leans to the left.

   The building leaned sharply before renovation.

3. to incline in feeling, opinion, action, etc.:

   to lean toward socialism.

4. to rest against or on something for support:

   to lean against a wall.

5. to depend or rely (usually followed by on or upon ):

   someone he could lean on in an emergency.

1. to incline or bend:

   He leaned his head forward.

2. to cause to lean or rest; prop:

   to lean a chair against the railing.

1. the act or state of leaning; inclination:

   The tower has a pronounced lean.

verb phrase

1. 1. to shift one's body weight forward or toward someone or something:

      Because Don was whispering, I had to lean in so I could hear him.

      He stood near home plate and leaned in for the pitch.

   2. to embrace risk, be assertive, etc., as to achieve the greatest level of success in the workplace:

      She really knows how to lean in—she'll have a corner office before long.

2. Informal.
   1. 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.

   2. to criticize, reprimand, or punish:

      I would have enjoyed school more if the teachers hadn't leaned on me so much.

1. (of persons or animals) without much flesh or fat; not plump or fat; thin:

   lean cattle.

   Synonyms: lanky, lank, skinny

   Antonyms: fat

2. (of edible meat) containing little or no fat.

   Antonyms: fat

3. lacking in richness, fullness, quantity, etc.; poor:

   a lean diet; lean years.

   Synonyms: jejune, unfruitful, barren, sparse

   Antonyms: fruitful

4. spare; economical:

   a lean prose style.

5. Automotive. (of a mixture in a fuel system) having a relatively low ratio of fuel to air ( rich ).
6. (of paint) having more pigment than oil. Compare fat ( def 12 ).
7. Nautical. (of a bow) having fine lines; sharp.
8. Metallurgy. (of ore) having a low mineral content; low-grade.

1. the part of flesh that consists of muscle rather than fat.
2. the lean part of anything.
3. Typesetting. matter that is difficult to set because of complexity or intermixed fonts. Compare fat ( def 23 ).

1. David, 1908–91, British film director.