leanness

/ˈliːnnəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈliːnnəs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlēnnə̇s/ (ame, mw)

leanness — noun

1. a slim, physically fit body shape with very little extra fat, typically built th

1.名詞C1
釋義

a slim, physically fit body shape with very little extra fat, typically built through exercise or training.

例句

The marathon coach praised Aoi for the leanness she had built up after six months of training.

the leanness of [a person's body]

James admired the leanness of the professional dancers warming up on the stage.

the leanness of [people] — focuses on physical fitness

同義詞
  • slimness

    more general; doesn't imply fitness

  • trimness

    neat, fit body shape; close synonym

  • fitness

    broader — includes strength and stamina, not just low body fat

反義詞
  • obesity

    medical term for excess body fat

  • plumpness

    softer, more positive term for being round and full

文法句型

the leanness of [person/body part]

用法筆記

Subject is usually a person or a person's body. Distinguish from sense 3 (about scarcity): this sense always carries a positive sense of fitness or athletic shape.

常見錯誤

❌She wants to lose her leanness.
✅She wants to lose weight.
💡'leanness' is the desirable result, not extra weight you want to remove.

2. the quality of meat that contains very little fat.

2.名詞C1
釋義

the quality of meat that contains very little fat.

例句

The butcher recommended this cut of beef for its tenderness and remarkable leanness.

the leanness of [meat]

Bilal chose chicken breast for its leanness, since his doctor had asked him to cut down on fat.

同義詞
反義詞
  • fattiness

    the opposite quality in meat

  • marbling

    streaks of fat running through meat, often valued in beef

文法句型

the leanness of [meat]

用法筆記

Object is always a type of meat (beef, chicken, lamb, pork). Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about food, not about a person's body.

3. a situation in which there is too little of something important, especially mone

3.名詞C2
釋義

a situation in which there is too little of something important, especially money, food, or business activity.

例句

After the bad harvest, the village faced years of leanness and had to ration grain.

years of leanness — common time-period phrasing

The shop owner spoke about the leanness of the winter months, when very few tourists came.

the leanness of [a period of time]

同義詞
  • scarcity

    more general; can apply to specific items

  • meagerness

    close synonym; emphasises how little is available

  • austerity

    implies deliberate cutting back, often economic

反義詞
  • abundance

    having plenty of something

  • plenty

    everyday word for enough or more than enough

文法句型

the leanness of [a period/time]

用法筆記

Subject typically a period of time (years, months, era) or a resource (funding, supply, harvest). Formal register; in everyday speech, 'shortage' or 'hard times' are more common.

常見錯誤

❌There was leanness of bread.
✅There was a shortage of bread.
💡'leanness' modifies a period or general situation, not a single item.

4. the quality of a company being efficient by keeping costs low and staff numbers

4.名詞C1
釋義

the quality of a company being efficient by keeping costs low and staff numbers small.

例句

Investors praised the start-up for the leanness of its operations and quick decision-making.

the leanness of [operations/staff]

After the merger, the new CEO promised to keep the leanness that had made the smaller firm successful.

同義詞
反義詞
  • bloat

    informal; too many staff or unnecessary costs

  • bureaucracy

    excessive rules and staff that slow things down

文法句型

the leanness of [a company/organization]

用法筆記

Subject is usually a company, team, department, or operation. Often used positively in business writing to describe efficient structure with minimal waste.

常見錯誤

❌The leanness of the office is dirty.
✅The office is small but tidy.
💡this sense describes efficiency, not physical size or cleanliness.

5. the quality of having only what is needed, without anything extra or decorative.

5.名詞C2
釋義

the quality of having only what is needed, without anything extra or decorative.

例句

Critics admired the leanness of the novel's prose, which never used a word more than necessary.

the leanness of [a style/text]

The architect designed the chapel with a leanness that made every wooden beam feel essential.

同義詞
  • minimalism

    deliberate art/design style of using few elements

  • economy

    as in 'economy of style'; using only what is needed

  • sparseness

    close synonym; emphasises emptiness around the few elements

反義詞

文法句型

the leanness of [a design/style/text]

用法筆記

Subject usually a creative work (writing, film, design, music) or a piece of code. Formal; appears mostly in criticism, design writing, or essays.