Lean v.¹

Pa. t. and pa. pple. leaned, leant. Forms: 1 hleonian, hlinian, Northumb. (h)lin-, (h)lioniʓa, 3 hlonen, leanen, leonien, 2–6 lene, 4 leone, leny(e, len, 4–5 lyne, 5 leene, le(y)nyn, 5–7 Sc. and north. lein(e, leyn(e, 6–7 leane, 6– lean. Pa. t. α. 1 hleonede, hlinode, Northumb. hlionade, -ede, 3 lende, 2–4 lened(e, 4 leonede, lynede, 4–6 Sc. lenyt, -it, 6–7 Sc. leynit, 6– leaned. β. 5 lente, 5–7 lente, 8 Sc. leint, 8– leant. Pa. pple. 1 Northumb. ʓehlionad, 3–4 lened; from 14th c. onwards as in pa. t. [ME. lēnen:—OE. hleonian, hlinian, corresponding to OFris. lena (cf. hlenbed sick-bed), OS. hlinôn (MDu. lēnen, Du. leunen), OHG. (h)linên (MHG. linen, lenen, mod.G. lehnen, whence Da. læne refl.), f. Teut. root *hlĭ- (ablaut-var. of *hlai-: see LADDER):—Aryan *klĭ- represented in Gr. κλῖμαξ ladder, L. clīvus declivity, etc., Skr. çri to lean; the formation of the Teut. vb., with n suffix orig. belonging to the pres.-stem, is paralleled in Gr. κλίνειν to make to slope, L. inclīnāre to INCLINE.

  OE. had a causative hlǽnan to make to lean (occurring only once as simple vb. and once in each of the compounds up-áhlǽnan and bihlǽnan), corresponding to MDu. leinen, OHG. hleinen (MHG. leinen):—WGer. *hlainjan. If this verb survived into ME., it would assume the form lēnen, thus coalescing with hleonian. Whether the mod. vb. actually descends from both the OE. vbs. is doubtful, but in view of the rare occurrence of hlǽnan in OE. it seems more probable that only hleonian has come down; the development of transitive senses presents no difficulty.]

  1.  intr. To recline, lie down, rest. Obs. exc. Sc. in reflexive construction. † Formerly conjugated with the verb to be.

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Mark ii. 15. Moniʓo bærsuniʓo & synnfullo ætgeadre liniʓiendo weron mið ðone hælende.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., John xiii. 23. An þæra leorning-cnihta hlinode on þæs hælendes bearme.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 39. Ðe unwreste herde hloneð and slepeð.

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. IX. 56. Vnder a lynde, vppon a launde leonede I a stounde.

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, xix. (Cristofore), 228. & scantly lenyt don he was, Quhen þe woyce on hym can cry.

c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., Prol. 179. Lenynge on myn elbowe and my syde.

c. 1450.  Merlin, 168. He … yede towarde the loges where as the thre kynges were lenynge.

1486.  Bk. St. Albans, F vij b. An haare in her forme shulderyng or leenyng.

1508.  Dunbar, Thistle & Rose, 100. This lady … leit him listly lene vpone hir kne.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, VIII. Prol. 2. As I lenyt in a ley in Lent this last nycht.

1693.  Dryden, Ovid’s Met., I. 1012. She laid her down; and leaning on her knees, Invok’d the cause of all her miseries.

1721.  Ramsay, Yng. Laird & Edinb. Katy, iii. Now and then we’ll lean, And sport upo’ the velvet fog.

1724.  Vision, iii. I leint me down to weip.

1871.  W. Alexander, Johnny Gibb, xvi. 114. She ‘lean’t her doon.’

  † b.  Phr. To lean beside the (or one’s) cushion: to miss the point, be beside the mark. (Cf. CUSHION sb. 10 b.)

1576.  Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 30. But this your consideration and purpose, (except I leane beside my cushing,) hath in it a certaine measure and meaning. Ibid., Epit. B j b. Thou leanest beside the cushing: for the epistle which thou meanest … is a president of an epistle Dehortatorie, and not an example of an epistle disuasorie.

  † c.  Of things: To lie or rest on a surface. Obs.

a. 1000.  Phœnix, 25 (Gr.). Ne þær hleonað oo unsmeþes wiht.

1661.  Boyle, Examen, iv. (1682), 28. A small drop of water or Quicksilver … when it leans upon a dry or greasie plain.

  2.  To incline the body against an object for support; to support oneself on, against something; † formerly also const. to, till, up (= upon), by. To lean off something (colloq. in imperative): to cease to lean on. † To lean on the cushion (fig.): ? to assume the attitude or position of a preacher.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 1610. He … saȝ … A leddre stonden … And ðe louerd ðor uppe a-buuen Lened ðoron.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 6329. King edmond … lenede vp is sseld.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), III. 309. A staf for to lyne too.

c. 1450.  trans. De Imitatione, II. vii. 47. Truste not ner leene not upon a windy rede.

c. 1489.  Caxton, Blanchardyn, xli. 153. She was lenyng vpon her wyndowe.

1530.  Palsgr., 606/1. I leaned with my backe against an oke to rest me.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, xiv. 38. There was lenynge in wyndows ladys & damesels a grete nombre.

1607.  Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 167. Elks … who … sleep by leaning unto trees like Elephants.

a. 1628.  F. Grevil, Five Yrs. K. James (1643), 62. [Somerset] thought it no matter to leane on the Cushion in publique to check some of the Nobility; and amongst the rest to make a flat Breach with my Lord of Canterbury.

1671.  Milton, Samson, 1632. To let him lean a while With both his arms on those two massie Pillars.

c. 1710.  Prior, Cupid in Ambush, 2. Upon his arm, to let his mistress lean.

1727–46.  Thomson, Summer, 721. Mid the central depth of blackening woods … Leans the huge elephant.

1774.  Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), V. 248. They have hard stiff tails, to lean upon when climbing.

1829.  Marryat, F. Mildmay, ii. Lean off that gun.

1837.  Dickens, Pickw., vii. Let me lean on your arm.

1863.  Geo. Eliot, Romola, xx. He … leaned against the wall.

1883.  R. W. Dixon, Mano, IV. iii. 147. And ever on him leaned she lovingly, Staying on him her body’s tender weight.

  b.  with refl. pron.

c. 1220.  Bestiary, 634. A tre he sekeð … and leneð him trostl[i]ke ðer-bi.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 252 (MS. T.). Ȝif þet ani weries, euchan leones him to oðer.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 1241. He lened him þan a-pon his hak. Ibid., 7805. I … fand Saul him lenand on his sper.

c. 1470.  Henry, Wallace, VII. 67. Syne to the grece he lenyt him sobyrly.

1523.  Skelton, Garl. Laurel, 17. I lent me to a stumpe Of an oke.

1597.  Montgomerie, Cherrie & Slae, 7. I lay and leynit me to ane bus To heir the birdis beir.

  c.  transf. Of inanimate objects.

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 161. Þese .vij. boonys ben ioyned togidere in þis maner þat euery leeneþ vpon oþir.

c. 1425.  Seven Sag. (P.), 2895. He wolde a toure rere Lenand to the mykyl toure.

1611.  Bible, Num. xxi. 15. At the streame of the brookes that … lieth [marg. Heb. leaneth] vpon the border of Moab.

1624.  Wotton, Archit., I. 46. That the Columnes may bee allowed somewhat aboue their ordinary length, because they leane vnto so good Supporters.

1764.  Goldsm., Trav., 284. Where the broad ocean leans against the land.

1887.  Ruskin, Præterita, II. 423. A burn … with a ledge or two of sandstone to drip over, or lean against in pools.

  d.  Mil. To lean upon: to be close up to something serving as a protection.

1813.  Examiner, 7 June, 354/2. The right of the enemy leaned upon fortified rising points.

1838.  Thirlwall, Greece, IV. xxxiii. 303. Clearchus commanded the right wing, which leaned upon the river.

  e.  To press upon; to lay emphasis upon.

1736.  Ainsworth, Lat. Dict., I. s.v. Horse, A horse that leaneth too hard on his bit.

1758.  Ann. Reg., 22. The winter would lean heavier on the besiegers.

1883.  G. H. Boughton, in Harper’s Mag., Feb., 393/1. It [Koekbacker] sounded awful enough when they leaned heavily on the first syllable.

  3.  fig. † To trust to for support (obs.); to rely or depend on or upon. Also refl.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 142. Heo owun to beon of so holi liue þet al holi chirche … leonie & wreoðie upon ham.

a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter xxii. 5. Þi stalworth help þat i len me till.

c. 1450.  trans. De Imitatione, III. li. 123. Wherfore in euery iugement recourse owiþ to be had to me, & not to leyne to propre arbitrement.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 4 b. He sholde not lene to moche to his natural reason.

1577.  Harrison, England, Pref. (1877), I. p. cix. As one leaning altogither vnto memorie.

1592.  West, 1st Pt. Symbol., § 2 H, A simple or single Obligation is that which leaneth upon right onely.

1611.  Bible, Prov. iii. 5. Trust in the Lord … and leane not vnto thine owne vnderstanding.

1621.  Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.), App. 235. Confes thy synnis … Vnto thy God … And till him leyne for euer mair.

1697.  trans. Burgersdicius’ Logic, II. viii. 31. The necessity of consecution, which we call’d the soul of syllogism, leans upon certain foundations and rules.

1736.  Bolingbroke, Study & Use Hist., v. (1752), I. 182. Christianity may lean on the civil and ecclesiastical power.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vi. II. 148. While Clarendon was trying to lean on Rochester, Rochester was unable longer to support himself.

1869.  Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), III. xi. 55. It was on the tried friendship of that true man of God that Harold chose to lean.

1884.  Daily News, 11 Feb., 5/5. He could lean neither on the territory traversed nor on Khartoum for his supplies.

  4.  To bend or incline in a particular direction (usually indicated by an adv. or advb. phr.). Const. from, over, towards; also with advs. back, out, † up. (Also in passive in the same sense.)

Beowulf, 1415 (Gr.). Oþ þæt he … fyrʓenbeamas ofer harne stan hleonian funde.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 1708. As he lenytt & lokett on hys forme.

c. 1430.  Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 579. Oute of the bed gan she lene.

c. 1470.  Golagros & Gaw., 1112. He lenyt vp in the place.

1530.  Palsgr., 461/2. I bowe or leane out, as a clyffe of a hyll or a thynge that hangeth outwarde.

c. 1590.  Marlowe, Faust. (1604), D 1 b. Over the which foure stately bridges leane.

1700.  Dryden, Pal. & Arc., III. 442. The gods came downward to behold the wars, Sharp’ning their sights, and leaning from their stars.

1715–20.  Pope, Iliad, XI. 60. They … leaning from the clouds, expect the war.

1818.  Leigh, N. Pict. Lond., 303. The houses on each side [of London Bridge] overhung and leaned in a most terrific manner.

1821.  Keats, Isabella, 23. He leant into the sunrise, o’er the balustrade.

a. 1839.  L. E. Landon, Poems (1844), II. 17. The spent stag on the grass is laid; And over him is leant a maid.

1860.  Tyndall, Glac., I. xii. 89. A cone of ice forty feet high leaned quite over our track.

1883.  F. M. Crawford, Dr. Claudius, i. He leaned back in his … chair.

  fig.  1640.  trans. Verdere’s Rom. of Rom., I. xvi. 69. A Knight … who … so furiously bestirred himself, that he made the advantage lean to that side.

1770.  Goldsm., Des. Vill., 164. Ev’n his failings lean’d to virtue’s side.

  b.  To move or be situated obliquely; to incline; to swerve (aside); U.S. to ‘make tracks.’

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. xxxvi. (1495), 149. The sharpe ende of the herte lenyth inwarde to the breste.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 5069. Qua list þis lymit ouir-lende, lene to þe left hand.

1546.  J. Heywood, Prov. (1867), 47. Ye leane to the wrong shore.

1776–96.  Withering, Brit. Plants (ed. 3), I. 287. Filaments 4, upright, 2 leaning to the same side.

1841.  Catlin, N. Amer. Ind. (1844), I. xiii. 98. Wraps his robe around him and ‘leans’ as fast as possible for home.

1883.  Stevenson, Treas. Isl., IV. xvi. The gigs had leaned to their right.

1894.  P. Pinkerton, Adriatica, Sulla Rocca, Asolo, It [my love] may not lean Aside, nor choose between Her own and lesser beauty.

  5.  To incline or tend towards, to some quality or condition. Also, to have a tendency favorable to.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., IV. xi. (1495), 95. The colour of malencoly humour lynyth towarde blackenes.

1538.  Starkey, England, I. iv. 121. Hyt [the sentence] leynyth to equyte and consyence.

1734.  Pope, Ess. Man, IV. 40. There’s not a blessing Individuals find, But some way leans and hearkens to the kind.

1771.  Junius Lett., lix. 306. The form of the constitution leans rather more than enough to the popular branch.

1844.  Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., i. (1862), 6. The Government leans towards Democracy.

1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xv. III. 549. His political opinions leaned towards Toryism.

  6.  To incline or tend in thought, affection or conduct; to be somewhat partial or favorable; to be inclined or disposed to or towards. † Also, to have an inclination or desire after.

1530.  Palsgr., 396. He leaneth to moche to the orthographye of the latyne tonge.

1557.  N. T. (Genev.), Matt. vi. 24. Or els he shal leane to the one, and despise the other.

1576.  Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 106. When you perceived the will of your … friend leaning another way.

1596.  Spenser, State Irel., Wks. (Globe), 613/1. They … delight rather to leane to theyr old customes and Brehoon lawes.

1604.  E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, III. iii. 124. Aristotle leanes to the contrary opinion.

1605.  Verstegan, Dec. Intell., i. (1628), 14. Such great men or commanders as some might leane vnto and follow.

1666.  Bunyan, Grace Abound., § 289. I found my spirit leaned most after awakening and converting work.

1728.  Newton, Chronol. Amended, i. 93. Thales … might lean a little to the opinion of former Astronomers.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., v. I. 585. The townsmen had long leaned towards Presbyterian divinity and Whig politics.

1868.  Gladstone, Juv. Mundi, v. (1869), 140. I lean to another explanation of the name.

  b.  To lean against: to be unfavorable to, not to countenance. Chiefly legal.

1804.  Castlereagh, in Owen, Wellesley’s Desp., 258. The latter … leant to Tippoo and against us.

1818.  Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), II. 490. Which showed how strongly the Court had leaned against survivorship.

1826.  Syd. Smith, Wks. (1859), II. 117/1. If it be true, that Judges in cases of high treason are more liable to be influenced by the Crown, and to lean against the prisoner.

1884.  Sir C. S. C. Bowen, in Law Times Rep., I. 312/1. The courts lean against this interpretation.

  † c.  To defer to an opinion. Obs.

1538.  Starkey, England, II. iii. 199. But I wold Wee schold in our reame gyue so much to hys [i.e., the Pope’s] authoryte, leynyng therto as to the Jugement of God.

1559.  W. Cunningham, Cosmogr. Glasse, 12. I wyll omytte it: and leane to th’ authoritie of the famous king, and grave Philosopher Alphonsus.

1611.  Shaks., Cymb., I. i. 78. ’Twere good, You lean’d vnto his Sentence, with what patience Your wisedome may informe you.

  7.  Transitive (causal) uses. a. To cause to lean or rest, to prop (against, etc.). Const. as in 2.

13[?].  Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS., 614/82. Bot Godes sone … His hed nou leoneþ on þornes tynde.

c. 1470.  Henry, Wallace, XI. 573. His bow and suerd he lenyt till a tre.

1535.  Coverdale, Amos v. 19. He … leeneth his honde vpon the wall.

1591.  Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., II. v. 43. Leane thine aged Back against mine Arme. Ibid. (1611), Wint. T. I. ii. 285. Is whispering nothing? Is leaning Cheeke to Cheeke?

1680.  Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 212. Clasping the Blade of it in your Left Hand, lean it steddy upon the Rest.

1697.  Dryden, Æneid, X. 1188. His fainting Limbs against an Oak he leant.

1794.  Mrs. Radcliffe, Myst. Udolpho, vi. He leaned his head on her shoulder.

1797–1809.  Coleridge, Three Graves, IV. xviii. She tried to smile, and on his arm Mournfully leaned her head.

1812.  Byron, Ch. Har., II. lii. The little shepherd … Doth lean his boyish form along the rock.

1842.  Tennyson, St. Sim. Styl., 213. Let him … lean a ladder on the shaft.

  fig.  1603.  Drayton, Bar. Wars, III. lxxx. Whereon their low deiected state to leane.

  b.  To cause to bend or incline.

1423.  James I., Kingis Q., xlii. In my hede I drewe ryght hastily, And eft-sones I lent It forth ageyne.

1631.  A. Craig, Pilgr. & Heremite, 5.

1683.  Moxon, Mech. Exerc., Printing, xxii. ¶ 4. If his Lines were Hard Justified, he cannot perhaps with the first leaning the Letters back get them clear out of the Stick.

1727.  Boyer, Eng.-Fr. Dict., s.v., To lean one’s Head backward, pencher le tête en arriere.

1844.  Mrs. Browning, Lady Geraldine’s C., i. I would lean my spirit o’er you.

1887.  Bowen, Virg. Æneid, II. 303. I … lean mine ear to the sounds of the air.