Meaning and Origin
What does the name Lean mean? Keep reading to find the user submitted meanings, dictionary definitions, and more.
User Submitted Origins
Etymology: Icel. leyna; akin to G. läugnen to deny, AS. lȳgnian, also E. lie to speak falsely
- 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 leantforward." [Dickens.]
- To incline in opinion or desire; to conform in conduct; -- with to toward, etc."They delight rather to lean to their old customs." [Spenser.]
- To rest or rely, for support, comfort, and the like; -- with on upon, or against."He leaned not on his fathers but himself." [Tennyson.]
Etymology: 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
Etymology: From Lean (v. i.); AS. hlǣnan, v. t., fr. hleonian hlinian (v. i.)
- Wanting flesh; destitute of or deficient in fat; slim; not plump; slender; meager; thin; lank; as, a lean body; a lean cattle.
- 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 leanwardrobe." [Shak.]"Their lean and flashy songs." [Milton.]"What the land is, whether it be fat or lean." [Num. xiii. 20.]"Out of my lean and low ability I'll lend you something." [Shak.]
- [Typog] Of a character which prevents the compositor from earning the usual wages; -- opposed to fat; as, lean copy, matter, or type.synonyms: slender; spare; thin; meager; lank; skinny; gaunt.
Etymology: OE. lene, AS. hlǣne; prob. akin to E. lean to incline. See Lean (v. i.)
- That part of flesh which consists principally of muscle without the fat."The fat was so white and the lean was so ruddy." [Goldsmith.]
- [Typog] Unremunerative copy or work.
- The property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the vertical
- Rely on for support ("We can lean on this man")
- Cause to lean or incline ("He leaned his rifle against the wall")
- To incline or bend from a vertical position ("She leaned over the banister")
- Cause to lean to the side
- Have a tendency or disposition to do or be something; be inclined
- Lacking excess flesh ("Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look")
- Not profitable or prosperous ("a lean year")
- Lacking in mineral content or combustible material ("lean ore" and "lean fuel")
- Containing little excess ("a lean budget")
From Middle English lenen (“to lean”), from Old English hleonian, hlinian (“to lean, recline, lie down, rest”), from Proto-Germanic *hlināną (“to lean, incline”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱley-. Cognate via Proto-Germanic with Middle Dutch leunen (“to lean”), German lehnen (“to lean”); via Proto-Indo-European with climate, cline.
- (of an object taller than its width and depth) An inclination away from the vertical.
- The trees had various toward gaps in the canopy.
From Middle English lene (“lean”), from Old English hlǣne (“lean”), (cognate with Low German leen), perhaps from hlǣnan (“to cause to lean (due to hunger or lack of food)”), from Proto-Germanic *hlainijaną (“to cause to lean”). If so, then related to Old English hlinian, hleonian (“to lean”).
- (uncountable) Meat with no fat on it.
- (countable, biology) An organism that is lean in stature.
From Icelandic leyna? Akin to German leugnen (“deny”). Compare lie (“speak falsely”).
Probably from the verb to lean (see etymology 1 above), supposedly because consumption of the intoxicating beverage causes one to "lean".
- (slang, US) A recreational drug based on codeine-laced promethazine cough syrup, popular in the hip hop community in the southeastern United States.
- Synonyms: sizzurp, syrup, purple drank
lean was also found in the following language(s): Galician, Irish, Northern Sami, Old English, Scottish Gaelic, Spanish, and West Frisian