1mean1 (miːn
)
Definitions
verb
Word forms: means, meaning, meant
(mainly tr) - (may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to intend to convey or express
- (may take a clause as object or an infinitive) intend ⇒
she didn't mean to hurt it
- (may take a clause as object) to say or do in all seriousness ⇒
the boss means what he says about strikes
- (often passive) often foll by for to destine or design (for a certain person or purpose) ⇒
she was meant for greater things
- (may take a clause as object) to denote or connote; signify; represent ⇒
examples help show exactly what a word means
- (may take a clause as object) to produce; cause ⇒
the weather will mean long traffic delays
- (may take a clause as object) to foretell; portend ⇒
those dark clouds mean rain
- to have the importance of ⇒
money means nothing to him
- (intr) to have the intention of behaving or acting (esp in the phrases mean well to have the intention of behaving or acting (esp in the phrases or mean ill)
- See mean business
Word Origin
Old English mænan; compare Old Saxon mēnian to intend, Dutch meenenSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
signify,
say,
suggest,
indicate,
represent,
express,
stand for,
convey,
spell out,
purport,
symbolize,
denote,
connote,
betoken,
=
imply,
suggest,
intend,
indicate,
refer to,
intimate,
get at,
hint at,
have in mind
drive at,
allude to
insinuate,
=
result in,
cause,
produce,
effect,
lead to
involve,
bring about,
give rise to,
entail,
engender,
necessitate,
2mean2 (miːn)
Definitions
adjective
- mainly British miserly, ungenerous, or petty
- humble, obscure, or lowly ⇒
he rose from mean origins to high office
- despicable, ignoble, or callous ⇒
a mean action
- poor or shabby ⇒
mean clothing
a mean abode
- informal mainly US Canadian bad-tempered; vicious
- informal ashamed ⇒
he felt mean about not letting the children go to the zoo
- informal mainly US unwell; in low spirits
- slang excellent; skilful ⇒
he plays a mean trombone
- See no mean
Alternative Forms
ˈmeanly adverb ˈmeanness nounWord Origin
C12: from Old English gemǣne common; related to Old High German gimeini, Latin communis common, at first with no pejorative senseSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
miserly,
stingy,
parsimonious,
niggardly,
close,
near,
tight,
selfish,
beggarly,
mercenary,
skimpy,
penny-pinching,
ungenerous,
penurious,
tight-fisted,
tight-arsed
mingy,
tight-assed
hungry,
snoep,
tight as a duck's arse
=
dishonourable,
base,
petty,
degraded,
disgraceful,
shameful,
shabby,
vile,
degenerate,
callous,
sordid,
abject,
despicable,
narrow-minded,
contemptible,
wretched,
scurvy,
ignoble,
hard-hearted,
scungy,
low-minded,
=
malicious,
hostile,
nasty,
sour,
unpleasant,
rude,
unfriendly,
bad-tempered,
disagreeable,
churlish,
ill-tempered,
cantankerous,
=
shabby,
poor,
miserable,
rundown,
beggarly,
seedy,
scruffy,
sordid,
paltry,
squalid,
tawdry,
low-rent,
contemptible,
wretched,
down-at-heel,
grungy,
scuzzy,
=
excellent,
great,
outstanding,
superb,
bad,
fine,
masterly,
wonderful,
brilliant,
smashing,
tremendous,
ace,
magnificent,
neat,
fabulous,
first-class,
marvellous,
exceptional,
terrific,
formidable,
sensational,
awesome,
skilful,
A1,
virtuoso,
super,
wicked,
first-rate,
bonzer,
badass,
booshit,
exo,
sik,
rad,
phat,
schmick,
beaut,
barrie,
belting,
pearler,
3mean3 (miːn)
Definitions
noun
- the middle point, state, or course between limits or extremes
- moderation
- mathematics
- the second and third terms of a proportion, as the second and third terms of a proportion, as b and the second and third terms of a proportion, as and c in the second and third terms of a proportion, as and in a/b = the second and third terms of a proportion, as and in = c/d
- another name for average (sense 2) See also geometric mean
- statistics a statistic obtained by multiplying each possible value of a variable by its probability and then taking the sum or integral over the range of the variable
adjective
- intermediate or medium in size, quantity, etc
- occurring halfway between extremes or limits; average
See also
meansWord Origin
C14: via Anglo-Norman from Old French moien, from Late Latin mediānusmedianTranslations
- British English:
mean
Someone who is mean is not nice to other people.He was sorry for being mean to her.miːn ADJECTIVE He was sorry for being mean to her.
- Spanish:
mezquino
adj mezquina
- French:
méchant
adj
- German:
geizig
adj
- Chinese: 吝啬的 adj
- Arabic: حَقِيرٌ adj
- Portuguese: mesquinho adj mesquinha
- Russian: убогий adj убогая
- Croatian: škrt adj škrta
- Czech: lakomý adj
- Danish: ond adj
- Dutch: gemeen adj
- Finnish: pihi adj
- Greek: μοχθηρός adj μοχθηρή
- Italian: meschino adj meschina
- Japanese: けちな no_posp
- Korean: 인색한 adj
- Norwegian: gjerrig adj
- Polish: skąpy adj skąpa
- Brazilian Portuguese: mesquinho adj mesquinha
- European Spanish:
mezquino
adj mezquina
- Swedish: elak adj elakt
- Thai: ค่าเฉลี่ย adj
- Turkish: eli sıkı adj
- Vietnamese: bần tiện adj
- British English:
mean
If you ask what something means, you want to understand it.What does this word mean?miːn VERB What does this word mean?
- Spanish:
significar
v
- French:
signifier
vt
- German:
meinen
v
- Chinese: 意谓 v
- Arabic: يَعْنِي vt
- Portuguese: significar v
- Russian: означать v
- Croatian: značiti v
- Czech: mínit v
- Danish: betyde v
- Dutch: menen v
- Finnish: tarkoittaa v
- Greek: εννοώ v
- Italian: significare v
- Japanese: 意味する v
- Korean: 뜻하다 v
- Norwegian: bety v
- Polish: oznaczyć v znaczyć
- Brazilian Portuguese: significar v
- European Spanish:
significar
v
- Swedish: mena v
- Thai: หมายความว่า v
- Turkish: kastetmek v
- Vietnamese: muốn nói v
- British English:
mean
If you mean what you are saying, it is not a joke.He says he loves her, and I think he means it.miːn VERB He says he loves her, and I think he means it.
- French: ne pas plaisanter v
- Arabic: لا يـَمْزَحُ v
- Brazilian Portuguese: falar sério vi
- British English:
mean
If you mean to do something, it is not an accident.I didn't mean to drop the cup.miːn VERB I didn't mean to drop the cup.
- French: avoir la ferme intention de v
- Arabic: يَقْصِدُ v
- Brazilian Portuguese: querer vt
Usage examples
I'd lose a stack in superannuation -'I don't mean retire from the Service.
, YESTERDAY'S SHADOW (2002)Its position on the edge of the Lake District does mean that, depending on the time of year, getting around in the car can be frustrating.
Country Life (2004)But the weather difficulties mean O'Brien may not even have a runner in the opening two-year -old maiden of the year.
Irish Times (2002)Foot-and-mouth movement restrictions mean that most of them are unable to be brought north from Berkshire.
Glasgow Herald (2001)Now his son insisted on doing something that would mean he would not gain any qualifications.
, BEYOND FEAR (2002)