From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishldoce_197_bleanlean1 /liːn/ ●●○ S3 verb (past tense and past participle leaned or leant /lent/ especially British English) 1 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]BEND to move or bend your body in a particular directionlean 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]SUPPORT/HOLD UP to support yourself in a sloping position against a wall or other surfacelean 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 positionlean (something) against/on something A huge mirror was leaning against the wall. He leant his bicycle against the fence.4 [intransitive]BEND to slope or bend from an upright position trees leaning in the wind → lean on somebody → lean towards something→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
lean• I leant across to her and asked whether I should pay the Rao directly and if so how much.• Petey, leaning against a post, looked pissed off.• First the old man dead on the beach, leaning against the railing.• Joe was leaning against the school wall, smoking a cigarette.• He opened the gate, walked up the drive, and stopped, staring at the bicycle leaning against the wall.• I leaned back on the pillows and closed my eyes.• He was leaning down, his spear arm back, the gleaming bronze blade wavering as it came towards her.• He leant forward on the table, emphasising the points with a thin finger.• All of the trees were leaning in the wind.• Joe leaned on the gate and watched as they drove away.• She leaned on the railings and looked out at the sea.• David was driving and Shaun was leaning over.• And she leans so far forward to his match that even clear across the room I could see down her blouse.• She leaned the ladder against the house and climbed up to the window.• Soldiers leaned their M-16 rifles up against their tables as they ate.• It's sometimes considered bad manners to lean your elbows on the table when you're eating.lean forward/back/over etc• There, wearing his mailbag and leaning over her desk, was Harold Newland, the postman.• I lean back into my own corner of the porch swing and hold on to myself.• But this man could very well lean forward just as Mrs Fanning had done downstairs.• Mrs Crump cried to herself, leaning forward now on a Pisan scale.• He leant forward on the table, emphasising the points with a thin finger.• So he peered, leaning forward to catch a whiff of scent, listening to the man's quiet muttering.• Graham felt himself leaning forward, wanting to catch her reply.lean against/on• They were leaning against a parked car, waiting for a table together.• He was leaning against a tree with his eyes closed.• The powerful aggregates industry is already leaning on him hard to prevent him from doing so.• They were seated on the far side, some in chairs, some leaning on the desk.• First the old man dead on the beach, leaning against the railing.• Dieter Bartsch's Norsemen were not leaning on their oars.leanlean2 adjective 1 THIN PERSONthin in a healthy and attractive way He was lean, tall, and muscular.► see thesaurus at thin2 DFlean meat does not have much fat on it OPP fatty3 EFFICIENTa lean organization, company etc uses only as much money and as many people as it needs, so that nothing is wasted4 PROBLEMa 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]Examples from the Corpus
lean• He was tragic looking, lean.• a lean and athletic man• At seventy-two my grandfather was lean and strong and I expected him to live forever.• He's a very handsome man: tall, lean and tanned with thick blond hair.• In this age of lean corporations, more workers are expected to work overtime.• For what seemed an age, she studied his features, strong lean features which she had come to know so well.• A company with severe cash flow problems may have no choice but to run a lean inventory operation.• Operating efficiency ratios show that Technosystems runs a lean operation, with all ratios above the industry averages.• She had a runner's lean physique and an overall healthy glow.• It is lean production at its meanest.• a lean year for businesslean years• Nothing came along immediately and ahead were a couple of lean years.• The Richmond Meet is clearly thriving - but how did it manage to survive the lean years?• Although two lean years by his standard followed, Davis, 34, still reached two world semi-finals.• She was, after all the lean years, fairly bursting with plans.• There the religious instruction started by his father, who for all the lean years had been his schoolteacher, continued.• She had gone through seven lean years; this was evidently one of her full ones.• The gamble seemed worthwhile as the lean years were few.• Those were lean years, without money for trips to the cinema.From Longman Business Dictionaryleanlean /liːn/ adjective1COMMERCEusing the most effective methods and the fewest employees possibleIn the struggle to turn the company into a lean commercial outfit, some lines have been discontinued altogether.2MANUFACTURING lean manufacturing uses methods and techniques to produce goods as cheaply as possible, for example by using as few workers as possible and using JUST-IN-TIME methods, where parts are delivered only when they are neededAmerican companies are learning the tricks of lean manufacture.3COMMERCEa lean period is a very difficult time because there is not enough money, business etca lean year for businessMany Welsh tourist attractions are having a very lean time. —leanness noun [uncountable]To achieve the necessary leanness, many more jobs will have to be lost in the defence industry across Europe.Origin lean1 Old English hleonian lean2 Old English hlæne 