lean

lean
\ \ [OE] Leanthin’ and leanincline’ are of course of completely different origin. The adjective goes back to a prehistoric Germanic *khlainjaz. The verb can be traced to an Indo- European base *kli- ‘lean, slope’, which has given English a wealth of vocabulary. Via Greek intermediaries have come climate, climax, and clinic, while its Latin descendant clīnāre has produced decline, incline, and recline. The prehistoric Germanic verb formed from it was *khlinōjan, which has diversified into modern German lehnen, Dutch leunen, and English lean.
\ \ From the same Germanic base come ladder, and also perhaps linksgolf course’ [OE], which originally meant ‘sloping or rising ground’.
\ \ Cf.CLIMATE, CLIMAX, CLINIC, DECLINE, INCLINE, LADDER, LINKS, RECLINE

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • lean — [liːn] adjective 1. COMMERCE using the most effective methods and the fewest employees possible: • In the struggle to turn the company into a lean commercial outfit, some lines have been discontinued altogether. 2. MANUFACTURING lean… …   Financial and business terms

  • Lean — (l[=e]n), a. [Compar. {Leaner} (l[=e]n [ e]r); superl. {Leanest}.] [OE. lene, AS. hl[=ae]ne; prob. akin to E. lean to incline. See {Lean}, v. i. ] 1. Wanting flesh; destitute of or deficient in fat; slim; not plump; slender; meager; thin; lank;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lean — lean1 [lēn] vi. leaned or Chiefly Brit. leant, leaning [ME lenen < OE hlinian, to lean, hlænan, to cause to lean, akin to Ger lehnen < IE base * k̑lei , to incline, lean > Gr klinein, L clinare] 1. to bend or deviate from an upright… …   English World dictionary

  • lean — lean; lean·er; lean·ing; lean·ness; or·lean; or·lean·ist; ce·ru·lean; ar·is·to·te·lean; mephis·tophe·lean; …   English syllables

  • lean — Ⅰ. lean [1] ► VERB (past and past part. leaned or chiefly Brit. leant) 1) be in or move into a sloping position. 2) (lean against/on) incline from the perpendicular and rest against. 3) (lean on) rely on for sup …   English terms dictionary

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  • lean — vb *slant, slope, incline Analogous words: bend, *curve: *turn, deflect, divert, sheer lean adj Lean, spare, lank, lanky, gaunt, rawboned, angular, scrawny, skinny mean thin because of absence of super fluous flesh. Lean stresses the lack of fat… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Lean — ist: die Kurzbezeichnung für Lean Management (engl. für Schlankes Management) der Name einer Anti Gravitations Illusion von Michael Jackson, siehe Lean (Tanzpose) der Nachname von David Lean (1908–1991), britischer Filmregisseur Siehe auch: Lean… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Lean On Me — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Lean on Me est une chanson de Bill Withers enregistrée en 1972. Lean on Me est une chanson de Limp Bizkit enregistrée en 1995. Lean on Me est un film… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Lean on me — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Lean on Me est une chanson de Bill Withers enregistrée en 1972. Lean on Me est une chanson de Limp Bizkit enregistrée en 1995. Lean on Me est un film… …   Wikipédia en Français

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