lean
gb/lˈin/ us/lˈin/
A2
English
~ 1900
nekidől, nekitámaszt, rátámaszkodik, hajlik, húz, sovány, szikár, zsírszegény, szűkös, ínséges
VERB
A2
1
Usage pattern:
to lean [part of body/object] against/on [something]
She leaned against the fence and watched the sunset.
Nekidőlt a kerítésnek, és nézte a naplementét.
He leaned on the counter while talking to the cashier.
Rátámaszkodott a pultra, miközben a pénztárossal beszélt.
The old man leaned heavily on his cane.
The bike was leaning against the garage wall.
Learner examples
I lean on the desk when I read.
Rátámaszkodom az íróasztalra, amikor olvasok.
He leans against the wall.
Nekidől a falnak.
The stick leans on the tree.
She leans on her hand.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'lean' with 'bend'; 'bend' means to curve your body, while 'lean' involves shifting weight toward something for support.
Meaning
To tilt or rest against something
Collocations
lean against the wall
|lean on a chair
|lean over the table
|lean toward the door
Synonyms
rest (Implies being supported by something without necessarily tilting.)
|
tilt (Focuses more on the angle of movement rather than physical support.)
Antonyms
stand upright (Opposite in posture; no tilt or support needed.)
Themes
daily life
|movement
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To move your body or another object so it rests against something for support.
To be in or move into a position where your body or an object is supported at an angle by something else.
VERB
B1
2
Usage pattern:
to lean toward/towards [opinion/action]
I'm leaning towards accepting the job offer.
Hajlok arra, hogy elfogadjam az állásajánlatot.
Most voters lean to the left politically.
A legtöbb választó politikailag balra húz.
She leans in favor of stricter regulations.
We lean toward using renewable energy sources.
Learner examples
I lean towards tea, not coffee.
Én inkább teát innék, nem kávét.
He leans to the left in politics.
Politikailag balra húz.
She leans towards staying home.
They lean in favor of the plan.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with physical leaning; context usually makes it clear if it's about preference.
Meaning
To favor or be inclined toward something
Collocations
lean towards a decision
|lean in favor of
|lean to the left/right
Synonyms
incline (Slightly more formal; often used figuratively for opinions.)
|
favor (Directly states preference without implying gradual tendency.)
Antonyms
oppose (Expresses active disagreement rather than preference.)
Themes
opinions
|decision making
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To prefer or choose one thing more than another.
To have a preference for or tendency toward a particular opinion, action, or outcome.
A2
3
Chicken breast is a lean source of protein.
A csirkemell zsírszegény fehérjeforrás.
He has a lean, athletic build.
Szikár, sportos testalkata van.
Choose lean cuts of beef for a healthier meal.
Learner examples
This is lean meat.
Ez sovány hús.
He is tall and lean.
Magas és szikár.
We eat lean beef.
She has a lean body.
Common mistake:
Some learners think 'lean' always means 'thin'; for food it specifically refers to low fat content.
Meaning
Thin, with little fat or bulk
Collocations
lean meat
|lean body
|lean physique
Synonyms
slim (Often implies attractiveness in thinness.)
|
low-fat (Used mainly for food products.)
Antonyms
fatty (Describes food with a lot of fat.)
|
overweight (Describes a person with excess body weight.)
Themes
food
|health
|food_drink
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Thin in body, or meat with little fat.
Containing little fat (for food) or having a thin body build (for people or animals).
B1
4
The company struggled through several lean years before making a profit.
A vállalat több szűkös éven át küszködött, mielőtt nyereségessé vált.
Farmers faced lean times during the drought.
A gazdák ínséges időket éltek át az aszály idején.
In lean periods, we must cut unnecessary spending.
Learner examples
We had lean years with little money.
Szűkös éveink voltak, kevés pénzünk volt.
It was a lean time for farmers.
Ínséges időszak volt ez a gazdák számára.
The store had lean sales last month.
Meaning
Lacking money, resources, or productivity
Collocations
lean years
|lean times
Synonyms
scarce (Emphasizes shortage of resources.)
|
meager (Implies insufficiency and smallness.)
Antonyms
prosperous (Indicates wealth and abundance.)
Themes
economy
|business
|finance
|work
Definition
A time when there is not much money, food, or success.
A period or situation with few resources, low productivity, or poor results.
Grammar
Dictionary form
lean
IPA
GB/lˈin/
US/lˈin/
Syllables & stress
lean (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (lean)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: lean
- Comparative: leaner
- Superlative: leanest
Verb
- Base: lean
- 3rd Person Singular: leans
- Present Participle: leaning
- Past: leaned, leant
- Past Participle: leant
Word family
Forms
leans
verb
leaning
verb
leaned
verb
leant
verb
leaner
adjective
leanest
adjective
Highlights
- Irregular past participle: leant Verb
Expressions
lean in
1/lˈin ˈɪn/
phrasal verb
Actively participate or get involved
To take part fully and with energy in something.
Examples
- When it's your turn, lean in and speak clearly.
- She decided to lean in and take on more responsibility at work.
lean into something
1/lˈin ˈɪntu sˈʌmθɪŋ/
phrasal verb
Embrace and engage fully with something difficult or new
To accept and work hard at something that is new or hard.
Examples
- He leaned into his new role as team leader.
- They leaned into the challenge and succeeded.
lean on someone/something
1/lˈin ˈɔn sˈoʊmˈoʊnsəmˈɛθɪŋ/
phrasal verb
Depend on for help or support
To depend on someone or something for help or support.
Examples
- I had to lean on my friends when I lost my job.
- She leans on her family during difficult times.
lean over backwards
1/lˈin ˈoʊvɚ bˈækwɚdz/
idiom
informal
Make great effort to help someone
To try very hard to help someone or make them happy.
Examples
- The staff leaned over backwards to make us comfortable.
- She leaned over backwards to meet the client's needs.