lean
♦ lean /l'iːn/ (leans leaning leaned leant leaner leanest)
American English uses the form leaned as the past tense and past participle. British English uses either leaned or leant.
1 [VERB] V adv/prep, V adv/prep
When you lean in a particular direction, you bend your body in that direction.
Eileen leaned across and opened the passenger door...
They stopped to lean over a gate.
2 [VERB] V adv, V n adv/prep
If you lean on or against someone or something, you rest against them so that they partly support your weight. If you lean an object on or against something, you place the object so that it is partly supported by that thing.
She was feeling tired and was glad to lean against him...
Lean the plants against a wall and cover the roots with peat...
3 [ADJ]
If you describe someone as lean, you mean that they are thin but look strong and healthy.
Like most athletes, she was lean and muscular...
She watched the tall, lean figure step into the car.
4 [ADJ]
If meat is lean, it does not have very much fat.
It is a beautiful meat, very lean and tender.
≠ fatty
5 [ADJ]
If you describe an organization as lean, you mean that it has become more efficient and less wasteful by getting rid of staff, or by dropping projects which were unprofitable.
The value of the pound will force British companies to be leaner and fitter.
6 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
If you describe periods of time as lean, you mean that people have less of something such as money or are less successful than they used to be.
...the lean years of the 1930s...
With fewer tourists in town, the taxi trade is going through its leanest patch for 30 years.lean manu|fac|tur|ing
[N-UNCOUNT]
Lean manufacturing is a manufacturing method which aims to reduce wastage, for example by keeping stocks low and by working more flexibly. (BUSINESS)
...efficiency-raising techniques such as lean manufacturing.lean on
or lean upon
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you lean on someone or lean upon them, you depend on them for support and encouragement.
She leaned on him to help her to solve her problems.lean pro|duc|tion
[N-UNCOUNT]
Lean production is the same as lean manufacturing. (BUSINESS)
...Japanese-style lean production techniques.lean towards
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you lean towards or lean toward a particular idea, belief, or type of behaviour, you have a tendency to think or act in a particular way.
Most scientists would probably lean toward this viewpoint.
American English uses the form leaned as the past tense and past participle. British English uses either leaned or leant.
1 [VERB] V adv/prep, V adv/prep
When you lean in a particular direction, you bend your body in that direction.
Eileen leaned across and opened the passenger door...
They stopped to lean over a gate.
2 [VERB] V adv, V n adv/prep
If you lean on or against someone or something, you rest against them so that they partly support your weight. If you lean an object on or against something, you place the object so that it is partly supported by that thing.
She was feeling tired and was glad to lean against him...
Lean the plants against a wall and cover the roots with peat...
3 [ADJ]
If you describe someone as lean, you mean that they are thin but look strong and healthy.
Like most athletes, she was lean and muscular...
She watched the tall, lean figure step into the car.
4 [ADJ]
If meat is lean, it does not have very much fat.
It is a beautiful meat, very lean and tender.
≠ fatty
5 [ADJ]
If you describe an organization as lean, you mean that it has become more efficient and less wasteful by getting rid of staff, or by dropping projects which were unprofitable.
The value of the pound will force British companies to be leaner and fitter.
6 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
If you describe periods of time as lean, you mean that people have less of something such as money or are less successful than they used to be.
...the lean years of the 1930s...
With fewer tourists in town, the taxi trade is going through its leanest patch for 30 years.lean manu|fac|tur|ing
[N-UNCOUNT]
Lean manufacturing is a manufacturing method which aims to reduce wastage, for example by keeping stocks low and by working more flexibly. (BUSINESS)
...efficiency-raising techniques such as lean manufacturing.lean on
or lean upon
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you lean on someone or lean upon them, you depend on them for support and encouragement.
She leaned on him to help her to solve her problems.lean pro|duc|tion
[N-UNCOUNT]
Lean production is the same as lean manufacturing. (BUSINESS)
...Japanese-style lean production techniques.lean towards
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you lean towards or lean toward a particular idea, belief, or type of behaviour, you have a tendency to think or act in a particular way.
Most scientists would probably lean toward this viewpoint.