lean

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Leaned sometimes Leant (l&ebreve_;nt); p. pr. & vb. n. Leaning. ] [ OE. lenen, AS. hlinian, hleonian, v. i.; akin to OS. hlinōn, D. leunen, OHG. hlinēn, linēn, G. lehnen, L. inclinare, Gr. kli`nein, L. clivus hill, slope. √40. Cf. Declivity, Climax, Incline, Ladder. ] 1. To incline, deviate, or bend, from a vertical position; to be in a position thus inclining or deviating; as, she leaned out at the window; a leaning column. “He leant forward.” Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To incline in opinion or desire; to conform in conduct; -- with to, toward, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

They delight rather to lean to their old customs. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To rest or rely, for support, comfort, and the like; -- with on, upon, or against. [ 1913 Webster ]

He leaned not on his fathers but himself. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ From Lean, v. i.; AS. hl&aemacr_;nan, v. t., fr. hleonian, hlinian, v. i. ] To cause to lean; to incline; to support or rest. Mrs. Browning. [ 1913 Webster ]

His fainting limbs against an oak he leant. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Leaner superl. Leanest. ] [ OE. lene, AS. hl&aemacr_;ne; prob. akin to E. lean to incline. See Lean, v. i. ] 1. Wanting flesh; destitute of or deficient in fat; slim; not plump; slender; meager; thin; lank; as, a lean body; a lean cattle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Wanting fullness, richness, sufficiency, or productiveness; deficient in quality or contents; slender; scant; barren; bare; mean; -- used literally and figuratively; as, the lean harvest; a lean purse; a lean discourse; lean wages. “No lean wardrobe.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their lean and flashy songs. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

What the land is, whether it be fat or lean. Num. xiii. 20. [ 1913 Webster ]

Out of my lean and low ability
I'll lend you something. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Typog.) Of a character which prevents the compositor from earning the usual wages; -- opposed to fat; as, lean copy, matter, or type. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- slender; spare; thin; meager; lank; skinny; gaunt. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. That part of flesh which consists principally of muscle without the fat. [ 1913 Webster ]

The fat was so white and the lean was so ruddy. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Typog.) Unremunerative copy or work. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Having a thin face. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Typog.) slender or narrow; -- said of type the letters of which have thin lines, or are unusually narrow in proportion to their height. W. Savage. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act, or state, of inclining; inclination; tendency; as, a leaning towards Calvinism. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Meagerly; without fat or plumpness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. hl&aemacr_;nnes. ] The condition or quality of being lean. [ 1913 Webster ]