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# lean

«lean» in Mova's school dictionary: **to bend your body towards something or away from…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (lean, leans, leaned/leant, leaning); adjective (lean, leaner, leanest)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To lean is to bend your body towards something or away from straight: «Lean forward». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lean/#m1)

2) To lean on or against something is to rest your weight on it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lean/#m2)

3) To lean on someone is to depend on them for help. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lean/#m3)

4) Lean (adjective) means thin and fit, or (of meat) having little fat. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lean/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In safety, do not lean out of windows, over balconies, out of a bus, or over the edge of a cliff or boat. In science and building, a leaning tower (like Pisa) may topple if its centre of gravity goes too far. In health, lean meat has little fat. Phrases: «lean on» (rely on), «lean towards» (prefer), «lean back».

### examples

- Don't lean out of the window. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lean/#x1)
- Lean your bike against the wall. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lean/#x2)
- She leaned forward to hear better. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lean/#x3)
- The Leaning Tower of Pisa leans to one side. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lean/#x4)
- You can always lean on your family for help. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lean/#x5)
- Don't lean back on your chair. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lean/#x6)
- Choose lean meat for a healthy meal. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lean/#x7)
- The runner was tall and lean. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lean/#x8)
- Lean your little head against us." [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lean/#x9)

### note

Past: «leaned» (more American) or «leant» (British, said «lent»). Comparison: leaner, leanest. Do not confuse «lean» with «lend» or «lent».

### In the corpora

- [Gorillas and chimps walk on all fours leaning on their knuckles, while orangutans walk on their fists or the sides of their hands.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/16-the-great-apes/11/)
- [She keeps leaning her very sharp chin on Alice's shoulder, which Alice bears politely, though she doesn't like it.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/books/17-alice-the-mock-turtles-story-1/3/)
- [A backpack that is too heavy makes you lean forward and can make your back and shoulders hurt.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/3-lifting-and-carrying/15/)
- [Walking uphill, people lean forward to keep their weight over their feet.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/10-reasoning-about-the-moving-body/9/)
- [Cyclists lean into a bend so they do not fall outwards.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/10-reasoning-about-the-moving-body/18/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «lean» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lean/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.