Webster's English Dictionary

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lean

1. lean \'le-n\ \'le-nd, chiefly Brit 'lent\ \'le--nin\ vb or leaned;  or 
   lean.ing [ME lenen, fr. OE hleonian; akin to OHG hline-n to lean, G]k 
   klinein, L clinare 1a: to incline, deviate, or bend from a vertical 
   position  1b: to cast one's weight to one side for support  2: to rely upon 
   for support or inspiration  3: to incline in opinion, taste, or desire  : 
   to cause to lean : INCLINE 
2. lean n : the act or an instance of leaning : INCLINATION 
3. lean \'le-n-n*s\ aj [ME lene, fr. OE hlne] 1a: lacking or deficient 
   in flesh  1b: containing little or no fat  2: lacking richness, 
   sufficiency, or productiveness  3: deficient in an essential or important 
   quality or ingredient : as  of ore  3a: containing little valuable mineral  
   3b: low in combustible component - used esp. of fuel mixtures  4: 
   characterized by economy of style or expressionMSCRAWNY, SKINNY: LEAN 
   stresses lack of fat and of curving contours; SPARE suggests leanness from 
   abstemious living or constant exercise; LANK implies tallness as well as 
   leanness; LANKY suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as 
   thinness; GAUNT implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or 
   suffering; RAWBONED suggests a large ungainly build without implying 
   undernourishment; SCRAWNY and SKINNY imply an extreme leanness that 
   suggests deficient strength and vitality - lean.ly av SYN syn SPARE, LANK, 
   LANKY, GAUNT, RAWBONED, ( 
4. lean vt : to make lean 
5. lean n : the part of meat that consists principally of fat-free muscle