Idioms for lean
lean over backward(s).
bend1(def 21).
Origin of lean
1
before 900; Middle English
lenen, Old English
hleonian, hlinian; cognate with G.
lehnen; akin to Latin
clīnāre to
incline, Greek
klī́nein
Words nearby lean
British Dictionary definitions for lean on (1 of 4)
lean on
verb (intr, preposition)
Also: lean upon
to depend on for advice, support, etc
informal
to exert pressure on (someone), as by threats or intimidation
British Dictionary definitions for lean on (2 of 4)
Lean
/ (liːn) /
noun
Sir David. 1908–91, English film director. His films include In Which We Serve (1942), Blithe Spirit (1945), Brief Encounter (1946), Great Expectations (1946), Oliver Twist (1948), The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Dr Zhivago (1965), and A Passage to India (1984)
British Dictionary definitions for lean on (3 of 4)
lean
1
/ (liːn) /
verb leans, leaning, leaned or leant
(foll by against, on, or upon)
to rest or cause to rest against a support
to incline or cause to incline from a vertical position
(intr; foll by to or towards)
to have or express a tendency or leaning
lean over backwards informal
to make a special effort, esp in order to please
noun
the condition of inclining from a vertical position
See also
lean on
Word Origin for lean
Old English
hleonian, hlinian; related to Old High German
hlinēn, Latin
clīnāre to
incline
British Dictionary definitions for lean on (4 of 4)
lean
2
/ (liːn) /
adjective
noun
the part of meat that contains little or no fat
Derived forms of lean
leanly, adverb leanness, nounWord Origin for lean
Old English
hlǣne, of Germanic origin
Idioms and Phrases with lean on
lean on
Rely on, depend on, as in He's leaning on me for help. [Mid-1400s]
Exert pressure on one, especially to obtain something or make one do something against his or her will. For example, The gangsters were leaning on local storekeepers to pay them protection money. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]