lean

{{11}}lean (adj.) "thin, spare, with little flesh or fat," c.1200, from O.E. hlæne "lean, thin," possibly from hlænan "cause to lean or bend," from P.Gmc. *khlainijan, which would connect it to O.E. hleonian (see LEAN (Cf. lean) (v.)). But perhaps rather, according to OED, from a PIE *qloinio- (Cf. Lith. klynas "scrap, fragment," Lettish kleins "feeble"). Extended and figurative senses from early 14c. The noun meaning "lean animals or persons" is from c.1200, from the adjective.

{{12}}lean (n.) "action or state of leaning," 1776, from LEAN (Cf. lean) (v.).

{{12}}lean (v.) c.1200, from O.E. hleonian "to bend, recline, lie down, rest," from P.Gmc. *khlinen (Cf. O.S. hlinon, O.Fris. lena, M.Du. lenen, Du. leunen, O.H.G. hlinen, Ger. lehnen "to lean"), from PIE root *klei- "to lean, to incline" (Cf. Skt. srayati "leans," sritah "leaning;" O.Pers. cay "to lean;" Lith. slyti "to slope," slieti "to lean;" L. clinare "to lean, bend," clivus "declivity," inclinare "cause to bend," declinare "bend down, turn aside;" Gk. klinein "to cause to slope, slant, incline;" O.Ir. cloin "crooked, wrong;" M.Ir. cle, Welsh cledd "left," lit. "slanting;" Welsh go-gledd "north," lit. "left" -- for similar sense evolution, see YEMEN (Cf. Yemen), BENJAMIN (Cf. Benjamin), SOUTHPAW (Cf. southpaw)).

Meaning "to incline the body against something for support" is mid-13c. Figurative sense of "to trust for support" is from early 13c. Sense of "to lean toward mentally, to favor" is from late 14c. Related: Leaned; leaning. Colloquial lean on "put pressure on" (someone) is first recorded 1960.