lean

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A recreational drug composed of codeine-promethazine cough syrup mixed with usually soda and associated with the hip-hop culture of the Southern United States.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Eyes real tight 'cause I'm chokin' the creep; vision messed up 'cause I'm drinkin' the lean.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “lean” mean?

A recreational drug composed of codeine-promethazine cough syrup mixed with usually soda and associated with the hip-hop culture of the Southern United States.

Is “lean” formal or informal?

lean is generally slang.