Lean vs. Wiry — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Lean and Wiry
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Compare with Definitions
Lean
Be in or move into a sloping position
He leaned back in his chair
Wiry
Of or relating to wire.
Lean
A deviation from the perpendicular; an inclination
The vehicle has a definite lean to the left
Wiry
Resembling wire in form or quality, especially in stiffness
Wiry red hair.
Lean
The lean part of meat
The man who eats no fat and the wife who eats no lean
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Wiry
Sinewy and lean
He had a wiry build.
Lean
(of a person or animal) thin, especially healthily so; having no superfluous fat
His lean, muscular body
Wiry
Produced by or as if by wire being vibrated. Used of sounds
A wiry tone.
Lean
Offering little reward, substance, or nourishment; meagre
The lean winter months
Keep a small reserve to tide you over the lean years
Wiry
Thin, muscular and flexible.
Don't fight him. He may be small, but he's wiry.
Lean
(of a vaporized fuel mixture) having a high proportion of air
Lean air-to-fuel ratios
Wiry
Made of wire; like wire; drawn out like wire.
Lean
To bend or slant away from the vertical.
Wiry
Capable of endurance; tough; sinewy; as, a wiry frame or constitution.
He bore his age well, and seemed to retain a wiry vigor and alertness.
Lean
To incline the weight of the body so as to be supported
Leaning against the doorpost.
Wiry
Lean and sinewy
Lean
To rely for assistance or support
Lean on me for help.
Lean
To have a tendency or preference
A government that leans toward fascism.
Lean
(Informal) To exert pressure
The boss is leaning on us to meet the deadline.
Lean
To set or place so as to be resting or supported
Leaned the ladder against the wall.
Lean
To cause to incline
Leaned the boards so the rain would run off.
Lean
A tilt or an inclination away from the vertical.
Lean
Meat with little or no fat.
Lean
Not fleshy or fat; thin.
Lean
Containing little fat or less fat relative to a standard
Lean hamburger.
Lean
Not productive or prosperous; meager
Lean years.
Lean
Containing little excess or waste; spare
A lean budget.
Lean
Thrifty in management, especially by employing just enough people to accomplish a task or do business
"Company leaders know their industries must be lean to survive" (Christian Science Monitor).
Lean
(Metallurgy) Low in mineral contents
Lean ore.
Lean
(Chemistry) Lacking in combustible material
Lean fuel.
Lean
To incline, deviate, or bend, from a vertical position; to be in a position thus inclining or deviating.
A leaning column
She leaned out of the window.
Lean
(copulative) To incline in opinion or desire; to conform in conduct; often with to, toward, etc.
I’m leaning towards voting Conservative in the next election.
The Hispanic vote leans Democratic.
Lean
Followed by against, on, or upon: to rest or rely, for support, comfort, etc.
Lean
To hang outwards.
Lean
To press against.
Lean
To thin out (a fuel-air mixture): to reduce the fuel flow into the mixture so that there is more air or oxygen.
Lean
To conceal.
Lean
(of an object taller than its width and depth) An inclination away from the vertical.
The trees had various leans toward gaps in the canopy.
Lean
(uncountable) Meat with no fat on it.
Lean
An organism that is lean in stature.
Lean
A recreational drug based on codeine-laced promethazine cough syrup, especially popular in the hip hop community in the southeastern United States.
Lean
(of a person or animal) Slim; not fleshy.
Lean
(of meat) Having little fat.
Lean steak cuts
Lean
Having little extra or little to spare; scanty; meagre.
A lean budget
A lean harvest
Lean
Having a low proportion or concentration of a desired substance or ingredient.
A lean ore hardly worth mining.
Running on too lean a fuel-air mixture will cause, among other problems, your internal combustion engine to heat up too much.
Lean
Of a character which prevents the compositor from earning the usual wages; opposed to fat.
Lean copy, matter, or type
Lean
(business) Efficient, economic, frugal, agile, slimmed-down; pertaining to the modern industrial principles of "lean manufacturing".
Lean management
Lean manufacturing
Alcoa is now a lean and agile enterprise, after having split last year into two entities.
Lean
To conceal.
Lean
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.
Lean
To incline in opinion or desire; to conform in conduct; - with to, toward, etc.
They delight rather to lean to their old customs.
Lean
To rest or rely, for support, comfort, and the like; - with on, upon, or against.
He leaned not on his fathers but himself.
Lean
To cause to lean; to incline; to support or rest.
His fainting limbs against an oak he leant.
Lean
Wanting flesh; destitute of or deficient in fat; slim; not plump; slender; meager; thin; lank; as, a lean body; a lean cattle.
Lean
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.
Their lean and flashy songs.
What the land is, whether it be fat or lean.
Out of my lean and low abilityI'll lend you something.
Lean
Of a character which prevents the compositor from earning the usual wages; - opposed to fat; as, lean copy, matter, or type.
Lean
That part of flesh which consists principally of muscle without the fat.
The fat was so white and the lean was so ruddy.
Lean
Unremunerative copy or work.
Lean
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
Lean
To incline or bend from a vertical position;
She leaned over the banister
Lean
Cause to lean or incline;
He leaned his rifle against the wall
Lean
Have a tendency or disposition to do or be something; be inclined;
She tends to be nervous before her lectures
These dresses run small
He inclined to corpulence
Lean
Rely on for support;
We can lean on this man
Lean
Cause to lean to the side;
Erosion listed the old tree
Lean
Lacking excess flesh;
You can't be too rich or too thin
Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look
Lean
Lacking in mineral content or combustible material;
Lean ore
Lean fuel
Lean
Containing little excess;
A lean budget
A skimpy allowance
Lean
Low in mineral content;
A lean ore
Lean
Not profitable or prosperous;
A lean year
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