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mean

[ meen ]

/ min /

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See synonyms for: mean / meaner / meanest / meaning on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), meant, mean·ing.

to have in mind as one's purpose or intention: I meant to compliment you on your work.

to intend for a particular purpose, destination, etc.: They were meant for each other.

to intend to express or indicate: What do you mean by “liberal”?

to have as its sense or signification; signify: The word “freedom” means many things to many people.

to bring, cause, or produce as a result: This bonus means that we can take a trip to Florida.

to have (certain intentions) toward a person: He didn't mean you any harm.

to have the value of; assume the importance of: Money means everything to them. She means the world to him.

verb (used without object), meant, mean·ing.

to be minded or disposed; have intentions: Beware, she means ill, despite her solicitous manner.

OTHER WORDS FOR mean

1 intend, plan, aim, have in mind, contemplate.

2 destine, foreordain.

4 denote, indicate; import, imply, connote.

See synonyms for mean on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about mean

mean well, to have good intentions; try to be kind or helpful: Her constant queries about your health must be tiresome, but I'm sure she means well.

Origin of mean

First recorded before 900; Middle English menen, Old English mǣnan; cognate with German meinen, Dutch meenen

synonym study for mean

1. See intend.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH mean

mean , mien

Other definitions for mean (2 of 3)

mean²

[ meen ]

/ min /

adjective, mean·er, mean·est.

offensive, selfish, or unaccommodating; nasty; malicious: a mean remark;He gets mean when he doesn't get his way.

small-minded or ignoble: mean motives.

penurious, stingy, or miserly: a person who is mean about money.

inferior in grade, quality, or character: no mean reward.

low in status, rank, or dignity: mean servitors.

of little importance or consequence: mean little details.

unimposing or shabby: a mean abode.

small, humiliated, or ashamed: You should feel mean for being so stingy.

Informal. in poor physical condition.

troublesome or vicious; bad-tempered: a mean old horse.

Slang. skillful or impressive: He blows a mean trumpet.

OTHER WORDS FOR mean

2 contemptible, despicable.

3 close, tight, parsimonious, illiberal, ungenerous, selfish.

5 common, humble; undignified, plebeian.

6 inconsequential, insignificant, petty, paltry, little, poor.

7 squalid, poor.

See synonyms for mean on Thesaurus.com

Origin of mean

First recorded before 900; Middle English mene, variant of imene, imeane “held or shared in common,” Old English gemǣne “common, general, mutual”; cognate with Dutch gemeen, German gemein “common,” Gothic gamains “in common”; see origin at y-,common

synonym study for mean

2. Mean, low, base, sordid, and vile all refer to ignoble characteristics worthy of dislike, contempt, or disgust. Mean suggests pettiness and small-mindedness: to take a mean advantage. Low suggests coarseness and vulgarity: low company. Base suggests selfish cowardice or moral depravity: base motives. Sordid suggests a wretched uncleanness, or sometimes an avariciousness without dignity or moral scruples: a sordid slum; sordid gain. Vile suggests disgusting foulness or repulsiveness: vile insinuation; a vile creature. 3. See stingy¹.

Other definitions for mean (3 of 3)

mean³

[ meen ]

/ min /

noun

Usually means .(used with a singular or plural verb) an agency, instrument, or method used to attain an end: The telephone is a means of communication. There are several means of solving the problem.

means,

available resources, especially money: They lived beyond their means.
considerable financial resources; riches: a man of means.

something that is midway between two extremes; something intermediate: to seek a mean between cynicism and blind faith.

Mathematics.

a quantity having a value intermediate between the values of other quantities; an average, especially the arithmetic mean.
either the second or third term in a proportion of four terms.

Statistics. expected value. See mathematical expectation (def. 2).

Logic. the middle term in a syllogism.

adjective

occupying a middle position or an intermediate place, as in kind, quality, degree, or time: a mean speed; a mean course; the mean annual rainfall.

Origin of mean

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English mene, meine, from Middle French meen, mean, variant of meien, from Latin mediānus “middle, in the middle”; see median

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH mean

mean , median

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use mean in a sentence

By far, the loudest, meanest, and most prolific came from people from states other than Mississippi.
Rebels Rise Again Over Flag Banning|Robert Khayat|July 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He felt himself the meanest, vilest thing a-crawl upon this sinful earth, and she—dear God!
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
I tell you, madam, most distinctly and emphatically, that it is bread pudding and the meanest kind at that.'
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various
He could not possibly doubt or question, and shame flooded him till he felt himself the meanest man alive.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood

That is the reason that the silliest, the meanest, the most poisonous girl can always find a husband if she is healthy.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
And when the children of thy people shall speak to thee, saying: Wilt thou not tell us what thou meanest by this?
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various

British Dictionary definitions for mean (1 of 3)

mean¹

/ (miːn) /

verb means, meaning or 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) intendshe didn't mean to hurt it

(may take a clause as object) to say or do in all seriousnessthe 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; representexamples help show exactly what a word means

(may take a clause as object) to produce; causethe weather will mean long traffic delays

(may take a clause as object) to foretell; portendthose dark clouds mean rain

to have the importance ofmoney means nothing to him

(intr) to have the intention of behaving or acting (esp in the phrases mean well or mean ill)

mean business to be in earnest

Word Origin for mean

Old English mænan; compare Old Saxon mēnian to intend, Dutch meenen

usage for mean

In standard English, mean should not be followed by for when expressing intention: I didn't mean this to happen (not I didn't mean for this to happen)

British Dictionary definitions for mean (2 of 3)

mean²

/ (miːn) /

adjective

mainly British miserly, ungenerous, or petty

humble, obscure, or lowlyhe rose from mean origins to high office

despicable, ignoble, or callousa mean action

poor or shabbymean clothing; a mean abode

informal, mainly US and Canadian bad-tempered; vicious

informal ashamedhe felt mean about not letting the children go to the zoo

informal, mainly US unwell; in low spirits

slang excellent; skilfulhe plays a mean trombone

no mean

of high qualityno mean performer
difficultno mean feat

Derived forms of mean

meanly, adverbmeanness, noun

Word Origin for mean

C12: from Old English gemǣne common; related to Old High German gimeini, Latin communis common, at first with no pejorative sense

British Dictionary definitions for mean (3 of 3)

mean³

/ (miːn) /

noun

the middle point, state, or course between limits or extremes

moderation

maths

the second and third terms of a proportion, as b and c in a/b = c/d
another name for average (def. 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

Word Origin for mean

C14: via Anglo-Norman from Old French moien, from Late Latin mediānus median

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for mean

mean

[ mēn ]

A number or quantity having a value that is intermediate between other numbers or quantities, especially an arithmetic mean or average. See more at arithmetic mean.

Either the second or third term of a proportion of four terms. In the proportion 23 = 46, the means are 3 and 4. Compare extreme.

Cultural definitions for mean (1 of 2)

mean

An average in statistics. (See under “Physical Sciences and Mathematics.”)

Cultural definitions for mean (2 of 2)

mean

In statistics, an average of a group of numbers or data points. With a group of numbers, the mean is obtained by adding them and dividing by the number of numbers in the group. Thus the mean of five, seven, and twelve is eight (twenty-four divided by three). (Compare median and mode.)

Other Idioms and Phrases with mean

mean

In addition to the idioms beginning with mean

mean business
mean to

, also see under

means

mean

OTHER WORDS FOR mean

Idioms about mean

Origin of mean

synonym study for mean

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH mean

Other definitions for mean (2 of 3)

OTHER WORDS FOR mean

Origin of mean

synonym study for mean

Other definitions for mean (3 of 3)

Origin of mean

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH mean

Words related to mean

How to use mean in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for mean (1 of 3)

Word Origin for mean

usage for mean

British Dictionary definitions for mean (2 of 3)

Derived forms of mean

Word Origin for mean

British Dictionary definitions for mean (3 of 3)

Word Origin for mean

Scientific definitions for mean

Cultural definitions for mean (1 of 2)

Cultural definitions for mean (2 of 2)

Other Idioms and Phrases with mean