From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Lean \Lean\ (l[=e]n), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Leaned} (l[=e]nd),
sometimes {Leant} (l[e^]nt); p. pr. & vb. n. {Leaning}.] [OE.
lenen, AS. hlinian, hleonian, v. i.; akin to OS. hlin[=o]n,
D. leunen, OHG. hlin[=e]n, lin[=e]n, G. lehnen, L. inclinare,
Gr. kli`nein, L. clivus hill, slope. [root]40. Cf.
{Declivity}, {Climax}, {Incline}, {Ladder}.]
1. To incline, deviate, or bend, from a vertical position; to
be in a position thus inclining or deviating; as, she
leaned out at the window; a leaning column. "He leant
forward." --Dickens.
[1913 Webster]
2. To incline in opinion or desire; to conform in conduct; --
with to, toward, etc.
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They delight rather to lean to their old customs.
--Spenser.
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3. To rest or rely, for support, comfort, and the like; --
with on, upon, or against.
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He leaned not on his fathers but himself.
--Tennyson.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Leaning \Lean"ing\, n.
The act, or state, of inclining; inclination; tendency; as, a
leaning towards Calvinism.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
leaning
adj 1: departing or being caused to depart from the true
vertical or horizontal; "the leaning tower of Pisa"; "the
headstones were tilted" [syn: {atilt}, {canted},
{leaning}, {tilted}, {tipped}]
n 1: an inclination to do something; "he felt leanings toward
frivolity" [syn: {leaning}, {propensity}, {tendency}]
2: a natural inclination; "he has a proclivity for exaggeration"
[syn: {proclivity}, {propensity}, {leaning}]
3: the property possessed by a line or surface that departs from
the vertical; "the tower had a pronounced tilt"; "the ship
developed a list to starboard"; "he walked with a heavy
inclination to the right" [syn: {tilt}, {list},
{inclination}, {lean}, {leaning}]
4: the act of deviating from a vertical position
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