Lean

Part of speech: adjective, verb

Pronunciation: /liːn/

Definitions

1. To tilt or slope away from an upright stance ; to depend confidently on support or aid ; characterized by a lack of excess flesh or fat
2. To incline one's body or object at an angle rather than straight up ; to trust or have confidence in assistance or backing ; describing a body with minimal fat content or slenderness
3. To bend or rest against something for support ; to have faith in or make use of a resource or person ; having a slim, trim, or underweight physical form

Etymology: The adjective "lean" meaning thin or slim comes from Old English "hlǣne," which described a person or animal lacking flesh or fat, and it is probably linked to a verb meaning to cause someone to lean through hunger or lack of food. Hunger, not posture, sits at the root of the thin sense. The verb "lean," to incline or rest against something, descends from Old English "hleonian" and "hlinian," meaning to lean, recline, or lie down, and it is related to German "lehnen" and Dutch "leunen," which carry the same sense. The two words come from different Old English sources, and they meet in a surprising way. Old Norse "linr," meaning soft or weak, and Old High German "len," meaning mild, show that the thin sense has relatives beyond English, all pointing to an idea of something yielding or lacking strength. The verb, by contrast, traces back to a Proto-Indo-European root that also gave English "climate" and "cline," both tied to the idea of inclining or sloping.

Synonyms: slim, thin, lanky, skinny, svelte

Antonyms: fat, obese, plump, heavy, overweight