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“Lean” or “Lien”

lean / lien are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term.

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Definitions

What each term means

Same sound, different spellings and meanings, shown with a pronunciation guide for each term.

lean l·IY·n

  • verbto incline or bend from a vertical position.
  • verbcause to lean or incline.
  • verbrely on for support.
  • adjectivelacking in mineral content or combustible material.
  • adjectivecontaining little excess.
  • adjectivenot profitable or prosperous.

lien l·IY·n

  • nounthe right to take another's property if an obligation is not discharged.
Usage

Examples in context

Real sentences for each spelling. Hover an example to copy it.

“lean”

  • …is seeing these images of lean and beautiful women, her boyfriend's…
  • …to be seen as a lean manufacturing method that allows factories…
  • This pigment has a lean and dry character.
  • …also recorded a version of "Lean on Me" with Michael Jackson,…
  • …Jewish religious literature, as a lean youth, naked and uncircumcised, a…
  • …Sarris qualified Stewart's performance as "lean, gangling, idealistic to the point…
  • …Production System, and many other lean manufacturing derivatives, a DFT line…
  • …coir industry went through a lean period during the World War…
  • …spoofs a number of David Lean epics, including Lawrence of Arabia…
  • …a slight adult album alternative lean), Nielsen BDS and Mediabase reported…

“lien”

  • …with teammates Katleen De Caluwé, Lien Huyghebaert and Kim Gevaert.
  • Lien Chen-li (Class of 2011) -…
  • …in interpreting the Canadian Builders’ Lien Act.

Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions are drawn from WordNet.

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