lean on
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To rest on for physical support: To use something or someone as a support to bear part of one's weight.
- To depend on for emotional or psychological support: To rely on someone for comfort, advice, or strength during difficult times.
Usage Examples
- Verb (Physical Support):
- The old man had to lean on his cane as he walked.
- She leaned on the wall, exhausted from the long journey.
- Verb (Emotional/Psychological Support):
- During her grief, she knew she could lean on her family.
- It's okay to lean on your friends when you're feeling stressed.
Advanced Usage
- "to lean on someone heavily": To depend on someone to a very great degree.
- After the accident, he leaned on his brother heavily for both physical and emotional support.
- "to lean on something for guidance": To use something as a primary source of advice or direction.
- The new manager leaned on the company's policy manual for guidance.
Variants and Related Words
- Lean (verb): To incline or bend from a vertical position.
- The tower leans slightly to the north.
- Leaning (noun): A tendency or inclination.
- He has a strong leaning towards artistic pursuits.
Synonyms
- Rely on: To depend on with full trust or confidence.
- Count on: To rely on; to expect with certainty.
- Depend on: To be determined or influenced by; to need for support.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Lean against: To rest one's weight or body against a vertical surface.
- He leaned against the doorframe while waiting.
- Lean towards: To have a tendency or preference for.
- I'm leaning towards accepting the job offer.
Related Idioms
- Lean on someone's shoulder: To seek comfort or sympathy from someone (often by literally resting one's head on their shoulder while upset).
- After the bad news, she just needed to lean on his shoulder and cry.
- A leaning tower: A reference to something that is not upright or stable (from the Leaning Tower of Pisa).
- The old barn was like a leaning tower, ready to fall.
Verb
- rest on for support
- you can lean on me if you get tired