mean to

Idioms  

1. Intend to, as in I meant to go running this morning but got up too late, or I'm sorry I broke it—I didn't mean to. This idiom was first recorded in 1560.

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Example Sentences

In our era of vibes over facts, that twist makes her message feel more persuasive, especially to those who already are sick of hearing that being mean to other people is bad.

From Salon

Kelly: You mean to be the next Norway manager?

From BBC

Moreover, just what does it mean to dress for the job you want when the richest men in the world wear $300 T-shirts and $2,500 cashmere hoodies?

From The Wall Street Journal

Look, I don’t mean to be churlish.

From MarketWatch

And I don’t mean to underappreciate the people at the Social Security inspector general’s office, who I am sure do fine work.

From MarketWatch