Lean forward

English translation: push the envelope

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:Lean forward (in this context)
Selected answer:push the envelope
Entered by: Jack Doughty

11:49 Dec 8, 2005
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Social Sciences - Military / Defense
English term or phrase: Lean forward
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.)
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what is the meaning of "Lean forward"?
blackandwhite
push the envelope
Explanation:
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".
Selected response from:

Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:31
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +5push the envelope
Jack Doughty
4 +2be agressive
Charlesp
2sticking its neck out
Susan Geiblinger


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
lean forward
push the envelope


Explanation:
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".

Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:31
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 51
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
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.
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
lean forward
sticking its neck out


Explanation:
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

Susan Geiblinger
Austria
Local time: 01:31
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
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
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
lean forward
be agressive


Explanation:
"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.

Charlesp
Sweden
Local time: 01:31
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  RHELLER
11 hrs
  -> thanks for your comment

agree  Rebecca Barath
2 days 5 hrs
  -> thanks for your comment
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