Lean
/liːn/noun
To incline or bend away from the upright position, or to depend on support.
Did you know?English lean comes from an ancient Germanic root tied to bending or slanting, and it’s the same deep root behind words for “limp” and “lame,” showing how physical imbalance became a metaphor for weakness.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kley-
“to lean, incline”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*hlainijaną
“to make lean, incline”
Old English
OE
hlēonian
“to lean, bend, incline”
Middle English
ME
lenen
“to lean, rest against”
Modern English
English
lean
“to incline or rest for support”