[f. LEAN v.1 + -ING1.]
1. The action of LEAN v.1; inclination; reclining.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Luke xx. 46. Þa forman hlininga [Vulg. primos discubitus].
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 295/1. Le(y)nynge, appodiacio.
1530. Palsgr., 238/2. Leaning to, adhesion.
1677. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 5. According to the leaning of the Chaps of your Vice.
1712. Budgell, Spect., No. 277, ¶ 17. The various Leanings and Bendings of the Head.
1830. Herschel, Stud. Nat. Phil., 241. If the bricks … had all a certain leaning or bias in one direction out of the perpendicular.
1883. Gilmour, Mongols, xxvii. 321. Inexplicable leanings and movements were seen about the shoulders.
b. Something to lean upon; † spec. the flat horizontal surface formed by the thickness of the wall on the inner and lower side of a window.
c. 1532. Du Wes, Introd. Fr., in Palsgr., 894. Lenyng appuis.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, 20. Persons, who … affect low leanings, to make use either to sit on … or to shew themselves … to passengers.
2. fig. Inclination, bias; tendency, ‘penchant.’
1587. Harrison, England, II. v. (1877), I. 130. [An ‘Italianate’ Englishman says:] He is a foole that … will come in trouble for constant leaning to anie [religion].
1795. Burke, Th. on Scarcity, Wks. VII. 417. To these, great politicians may give a leaning, but they cannot give a law.
1838–9. Hallam, Hist. Lit., IV. IV. ii. 37. The latter was as little suspected of an heterodox leaning as Petavius himself.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., ii. I. 231. The king was suspected by many of a leaning towards Rome.
1871. Smiles, Charac., x. (1876), 290. Frederick the Great … manifested his strong French leanings in his choice of books.
3. attrib. and Comb. (= ‘for leaning upon or against for rest or support’), as leaning-board, -carpet, -chair, -cushion, -place, -post, -staff, -support; † leaning-height, the height of the ‘leaning’ (see 1 b spec.) of a window from the floor; also used adj. = next; † leaning-high a., of a height to lean upon; leaning-note Mus. = APPOGGIATURA; leaning-stock, (a) a support (lit. and fig.); (b) in an organ, the ledge on which a pipe rests.
1533. in Bayley, Tower Lond., I. (1821), p. xx. It’m a *lenyng borde laide in ye same chambre wyndow.
1656. Finett, For. Ambass., 53. A *leaning Carpet laid before them, and Seats to sit on.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 485. *Leaning chairs, wherein a man or woman may gently take a nap, sitting at ease and repose most sweetly.
1586. Wills & Inv. N. C. (Surtees, 1860), II. 129. In the greate chambre … ij long *leaninge cushins.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, 19. The *leaning height of the Windowes, ought to be three Foot and a half.
1664. Evelyn, trans. Freart’s Archit., 124. They served for Podia or posaries of a leaning-height for which they had a slight cornice assign’d them.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, 49. As for the foundation of their building, it ought to be raised at first leaning hight; and then to let it rest to settle, for if only brought … a foot high above ground, it will be pusht down again, but being *leaning high, it will be preserved.
1811. Busby, Dict. Mus., Appogiature or *Leaning Note.
1530. Palsgr., 238/2. *Leanyng place, apuy.
1533. in Bayley, Tower Lond., I. (1821), p. xix. A great carrall wyndow … and lenyng places made new to the same.
a. 1850. Rossetti, Dante & Circle, I. (1874), 54. My face shows my heart’s colour, verily, Which, fainting, seeks for any leaning-place.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Chron. ix. 18. It had two *leanynge postes vpon both the sydes of the seate.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 295/2. *Le(y)nynge staffe, calopodium, podium.
1552. Huloet, Lenynge staffe, podium.
1530. Palsgr., 238/2. *Leanyng stoke, apuial.
1583. Golding, Calvin on Deut. lvi. 335. They will be a sure and steadie leaning stocke to rest vppon.
1642. Rogers, Naaman, 8. To worship Rimmon himself, and be his Masters leaning stock in that worship.
1852. Seidel, Organ, 56. Sometimes this ledge, or leaning-stock of the pipe, has a semi-circular cut, into which the pipe leans back.
1875. Ouseley, Harmony, xviii. 206. Appoggiaturas … are supposed to be a kind of buttress or *leaning support to the note before which they are placed.
