top definitions
quizzes
related content
examples
explore dictionary
british
medical
scientific
cultural
idioms and phrases

mean

[ meen ]

/ min /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR mean ON THESAURUS.COM

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

to have in mind as one's purpose or intention; intend: 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.

QUIZZES

FOR POSTERITY’S SAKE, TAKE THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

Are words your bailiwick? Take the latest quiz on the words from July 6 to July 12 to find out.

Question 1 of 7

bailiwick

a creature, variously described as a serpent, lizard, or dragon, said to kill by its breath or look.

place or source of origin.

a person's area of skill, knowledge, authority, or work.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for 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

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

Words nearby mean

mealworm, mealy, mealy bug, mealy-mouthed, mealybug, mean, mean anomaly, mean business, mean calorie, mean cell hemoglobin, mean cell hemoglobin concentration

Definition for means (2 of 2)

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

1300–50; Middle English mene < Middle French meen, variant of meien < Latin mediānus; see median

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH mean

mean median

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for means

As a means of preventing tooth decay in those cities that do fluoridate, the practice certainly looks like a success.
Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-Vaxxers|Michael Schulson|July 27, 2016|DAILY BEAST
And in order for them to realize their vision, they are willing to use any means.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Our Duty Is to Keep Charlie Hebdo Alive|Ayaan Hirsi Ali|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
With that, there is no means to consistently measure progress.
Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War|Nancy A. Youssef|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Part of the problem is the mandate of the war and the means with which the U.S. is fighting it do not match up.
Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War|Nancy A. Youssef|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST

And that means they also fall under the umbrella of programs most likely to get the axe when state and federal budgets are tight.
How to Solve the Policing Crisis|Keli Goff|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Infinite—this word is by no means the expression of a clear idea: it is merely the expression of an effort to attain one.
The Continental Monthly, Vol. 4, No. 1, July, 1863|Various
How if he should take this means of informing Joseph of his present situation?
The Strange Story of Rab Rby|Mr Jkai
But it means bed for a fortnight or so, and you must go immediately.'
A Great Man|Arnold Bennett
This is accomplished by means of an "interrupter" that either vibrates rapidly or "snaps" once at the formation of each spark.
The Gasoline Motor|Harold Whiting Slauson
But to return for a time to the means taken to attract the notice of other ships.
The Loss of the SS. Titanic|Lawrence Beesley

British Dictionary definitions for means (1 of 4)

means

/ (miːnz) /

noun

(functioning as singular or plural) the medium, method, or instrument used to obtain a result or achieve an enda means of communication

(functioning as plural) resources or income

(functioning as plural) considerable wealth or incomea man of means

by all means without hesitation or doubt; certainlycome with us by all means

by means of with the use or help of

by no manner of means definitely nothe was by no manner of means a cruel man

by no means or not by any means on no account; in no wayby no means come!

British Dictionary definitions for means (2 of 4)

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 means (3 of 4)

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 means (4 of 4)

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

Medical definitions for means

mean

[ mēn ]

n.

Something having a position, quality, or condition midway between extremes; a medium.

A number that typifies a set of numbers, such as a geometric mean or an arithmetic mean.

The average value of a set of numbers.

adj.

Occupying a middle or intermediate position between two extremes.

Intermediate in size, extent, quality, time, or degree; medium.

Scientific definitions for means

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 means (1 of 2)

mean

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

Cultural definitions for means (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.)

Idioms and Phrases with means (1 of 2)

means

see beyond one's means; by all means; by any means; by means of; by no means; end justifies the means.

Idioms and Phrases with means (2 of 2)

mean

In addition to the idioms beginning with mean

mean business
mean to

, also see under

means

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

mean

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

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

QUIZZES

FOR POSTERITY’S SAKE, TAKE THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

Idioms for mean

Origin of mean

synonym study for mean

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH mean

Words nearby mean

Definition for means (2 of 2)

noun

adjective

Origin of mean

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH mean

Words related to means

Example sentences from the Web for means

British Dictionary definitions for means (1 of 4)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for means (2 of 4)

verb means, meaning or meant (mainly tr)

Word Origin for mean

usage for mean

British Dictionary definitions for means (3 of 4)

adjective

Derived forms of mean

Word Origin for mean

British Dictionary definitions for means (4 of 4)

noun

adjective

Word Origin for mean

Medical definitions for means

n.

adj.

Scientific definitions for means

Cultural definitions for means (1 of 2)

Cultural definitions for means (2 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with means (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with means (2 of 2)