- 1[intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) to bend or move from a vertical position I leaned back in my chair. The tower is leaning dangerously. A man was leaning out of the window.
- 2[intransitive] to rest on or against something for support lean against something A shovel was leaning against the wall. lean on something She walked slowly, leaning on her son's arm.
- 3[transitive] lean something against/on something to make something rest against something in a sloping position Can I lean my bike against the wall? Idioms
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NAmE//lin//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they lean he / she / it leans
past simple leaned
(British English also) past simple leant
-ing form leaning
to make a great effort, especially in order to be helpful or fair I've bent over backward to help him. Phrasal Verbslean onlean to
Check pronunciation: lean