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Antonia Posted 21 years ago
Vocabulary

Mean

Can you please tell me
what is the meaning of mean in the context
of 'being lean and mean' (in the text about diets and being fit)?
Of optimal weight?
Thanks
  

Top answer

It's a somewhat slang meaning: hard to defeat; hard to cope with. One who is "lean and mean" is muscular and not to be challenged to a fight! And then of course there's the attraction for rhymes regardless of the precision of the terms involved!

— CalifJim

  • It's a somewhat slang meaning: hard to defeat; hard to cope with.
  • One who is "lean and mean" is muscular and not to be challenged to a fight!
  • And then of course there's the attraction for rhymes regardless of the precision of the terms involved!
  • CJ
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4 Answers
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It's a somewhat slang meaning: hard to defeat; hard to cope with.

One who is "lean and mean" is muscular and not to be challenged to a fight!

And then of course there's the attraction for rhymes regardless of the precision of the terms involved!

CJ
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Thank you CalifJim,
But what about the context here. It's not about fighting or being stronger than sb else. I came across this expression in the book about diet.
Does it really simply means being tough?
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The phrase "Lean and mean" keys on "lean" a lot more than on "mean". The word "mean" is added for rhyming and emphatic purpose only.
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