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lean

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verb British English pronunciation: lean /liːn/ 
Word Forms
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present tense
I/you/we/theylean
he/she/itleans
present participleleaning
past tenseleaned or leant
past participleleaned or leant
  1. 1
    [intransitive] to move your body so it is closer to or further from someone or something, for example by bending at the waist
    lean forward/back/towards/across etc:

    The other girl leaned forward to hear what was going on.

    I leaned over her shoulder to study the maps spread out on the table.

    Bigelow leaned across the desk and lowered his voice.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  leanThesaurus entry for this meaning of lean
  2. 2
    [intransitive] to stand or be set at an angle against something for support instead of being upright

    Two of the walls lean slightly inwards.

    lean against:

    Corey leaned against the apple tree.

    lean on:

    He walked in, leaning heavily on a cane.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  leanThesaurus entry for this meaning of lean
    1. a.
      [transitive] to put something at an angle against something for support
      lean something against something:

      John leaned his rake against the side of the barn.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  leanThesaurus entry for this meaning of lean
  3. 3
    [intransitive] to tend to choose or support something
    lean towards/to/in favour of:

    She is leaning towards supporting military action.

    The board of directors is leaning in favour of supporting the merger.

    lean in the direction of something:

    The decision to increase the budget hasn’t been made, but the committee is leaning in that direction.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  leanThesaurus entry for this meaning of lean

phrasal verbs

This is the British English definition of lean. View American English definition of lean.

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