noun
Meaning 1
A tendency or propensity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- a man of socialist leanings
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
leaning
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
-
/ˈliːnɪŋ/
-
US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
-
rhymes with -iːnɪŋ
-
CMU ARPABET: L IY1 N IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
verb
Meaning 2
present participle and gerund of lean
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
Meaning 3
departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- the leaning tower of Pisa
- the headstones were tilted
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: atilt, canted, tilted, tipped
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
the act of deviating from a vertical position
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: act, deed, human action, human activity
noun
Meaning 5
the property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the vertical
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- the tower had a pronounced tilt
- the ship developed a list to starboard
- he walked with a heavy inclination to the right
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: tilt, list, inclination, lean
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: position, spatial relation
noun
Meaning 6
a natural inclination
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- he has a proclivity for exaggeration
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: proclivity, propensity
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: inclination, disposition, tendency
noun
Meaning 7
an inclination to do something
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- he felt leanings toward frivolity
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: propensity, tendency
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: inclination
History
Etymology
From Middle English lening, leninge, from Old English hlinung (“leaning; resting; place of rest”), equivalent to lean + -ing.
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Across languages
Translations
5 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: склонност (sklonnost) — A tendency or propensity
- German: Orientierung — A tendency or propensity
- Spanish: tendencia — A tendency or propensity
- Spanish: propensión — A tendency or propensity
- Spanish: inclinación — A tendency or propensity
Real reading context