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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Lean \Lean\ (l[=e]n), adjective [Compar. {Leaner} (l[=e]n"[~e]r); superl. {Leanest}.] [OE. lene, AS. hl[=ae]ne; prob. akin to E. lean to incline. See {Lean}, verb (used without an object) ]
1. Wanting flesh; destitute of or deficient in fat; slim; not plump; slender; meager; thin; lank; as, a lean body; a lean cattle.
2. Wanting fullness, richness, sufficiency, or productiveness; deficient in quality or contents; slender; scant; barren; bare; mean; -- used literally and figuratively; as, the lean harvest; a lean purse; a lean discourse; lean wages. ''No lean wardrobe.'' --Shak.
Their lean and flashy songs. --Milton.
What the land is, whether it be fat or lean. --Num. xiii. 20.
Out of my lean and low ability I'll lend you something. --Shak.
3. (Typog.) Of a character which prevents the compositor from earning the usual wages; -- opposed to {fat}; as, lean copy, matter, or type.
Syn: slender; spare; thin; meager; lank; skinny; gaunt.
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Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. - KM |