lean betydelse and definition

Betydelse av lean på svenska

• 0 to (cause to) slope in one direction, or to move the top part of the body in a particular direction:

  • She leaned forward and whispered something in my ear.

  • I sat down next to Bernard, who leaned over to me and said "You're late."

  • Lean your head back a little.

  • That fence is leaning to the right.

• 1 Lean meat has little fat.

  • lean and fit

• 2 If a period of time is lean, there is not enough of something, especially money or food, at that time:

  • It has been a particularly lean year for the education department.

• 3 A lean company or organization does not use too many people or spend too much money, so that there is no waste:

  • Nowadays even efficient, lean, well-run industries are failing.

• 4 to move your body away from a vertical position so that it is bent forward or resting against something, or to place something in a sloping position against something:

  • [ I always + adv/prep ] The conductor leaned over us and asked for our tickets.

  • [ I always + adv/prep ] She paused for a moment to rest and leaned against a large rock.

  • [ T ] He leaned his bike against the wall.

• 5 (of a person) thin and in good physical condition:

  • Her body is lean, taut, athletic.

  • lean hamburger meat

  • It is a particularly lean year for science funding.

• 6 using fewer employees or less money in order to decrease waste, while continuing to operate effectively:

  • Companies are downsizing, aiming to be leaner and more efficient, with demands on employees for greater productivity.

  • With the application of lean management principles, suppliers and distributors have streamlined their processes.

  • lean enterprise/operation/organization When it comes to costs, they pride themselves on running a lean operation.

  • get/become leaner The pack-houses and their workers have had to become leaner.

  • lean retailers/suppliers

• 7 if a period of time is lean, there is not enough money or business at that time:

  • lean period/times/years

  • Funding has been increased to some programs suffering from several years of lean budgets.

• 8 if costs, goods for sale, materials, or quantities of workers are lean, they are very low, or kept as low as possible:

  • Cold weather across the U.S. signaled a surge in demand for natural gas products at a time when inventories are uncomfortably lean.

  • Working quickly and cheaply, with lean staffs and even leaner budgets, contract manufacturers have long played a supporting role in the computer business.