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Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

Lean forward (in this context)

English answer:

push the envelope

Added to glossary by Jack Doughty
Dec 8, 2005 11:49
18 yrs ago
3 viewers *
English term

Lean forward

English Social Sciences Military / Defense
According to a participant at the meeting who declined to be identified discussing private deliberations, Gonzales emphasized that it would be wrong to go over the line, but that America was at war, and it was necessary to "lean forward." (Gonzales has declined to comment.)
===================================================
what is the meaning of "Lean forward"?
Responses
4 +5 push the envelope
4 +2 be agressive
2 sticking its neck out

Discussion

RHELLER Dec 9, 2005:
"Lean forward" had become a catchphrase for the administration's offensive approach to the war on terror."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6733213/site/newsweek/
KNielsen Dec 8, 2005:
What kind of behaviour/policies is this "leaning forward" resulting in?

Responses

+5
5 mins
Selected

push the envelope

If you stand on a line and lean forward, part of your body is over the line. So I think this is saying that America should stretch the boundaries and go as far as possible in the given direction (interrogation of prisoners or whatever the subject is) without committing any flagrant breach.
Another way of saying this is "pushing the envelope".
Peer comment(s):
agree Kevin Kelly : Pretty good equivalent, I would say.
3 hrs
Thank you.
agree jccantrell : Yes, getting as close to crossing the line as possible without, legally, going over.
3 hrs
Thank you.
agree Nikos Mastrakoulis
14 hrs
Thank you.
agree Romanian Translator (X)
4 days
Thank you.
agree Alfa Trans (X)
7 days
Thank you.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
2 hrs

sticking its neck out

Perhaps a euphemism for sticking its neck out. As Jack says going as far as one can go without actually physically crossing the line.

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Note added at 2 hrs 4 mins (2005-12-08 13:53:44 GMT)
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stick its neck out
Peer comment(s):
agree NancyLynn : this sounds appropriate (although, again, a little more context would be helpful, no?)
1 hr
disagree Charlesp : I don't think so.
2 days 11 hrs
Something went wrong...
+2
7 hrs

be agressive

"to take the initative," if one would like to put it in a less agressive tone.
Or stated another way, to go on the offfensive, rather than being passive and loosing control over the situation.
Peer comment(s):
agree RHELLER
11 hrs
thanks for your comment
agree Rebecca Barath
2 days 5 hrs
thanks for your comment
Something went wrong...
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