Dictionary
mean
Pronunciation: (mēn), [key]
—v., meant, mean•ing.
—
v.t.
1. to have in mind as one's purpose or intention; intend:
I meant to compliment you on your work.
2. to intend for a particular purpose, destination, etc.:
They were meant for each other.
3. to intend to express or indicate:
What do you mean by “liberal”?
4. to have as its sense or signification; signify:
The word “freedom” means many things to many people.
5. to bring, cause, or produce as a result:
This bonus means that we can take a trip to Florida.
6. to have (certain intentions) toward a person:
He didn't mean you any harm.
7. to have the value of; assume the importance of:
Money means everything to them. She means the world to him.
—
v.i.
1. to be minded or disposed; have intentions:
Beware, she means ill, despite her solicitous manner.
2. 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. mean
Pronunciation: (mēn), [key]—
adj., -er, -est.
1. offensive, selfish, or unaccommodating; nasty; malicious:
a mean remark; He gets mean when he doesn't get his way.
2. small-minded or ignoble:
mean motives.
3. penurious, stingy, or miserly:
a person who is mean about money.
4. inferior in grade, quality, or character:
no mean reward.
5. low in status, rank, or dignity:
mean servitors.
6. of little importance or consequence:
mean little details.
7. unimposing or shabby:
a mean abode.
8. small, humiliated, or ashamed:
You should feel mean for being so stingy.
9. Informal.in poor physical condition.
10. troublesome or vicious; bad-tempered:
a mean old horse.
11. Slang.skillful or impressive:
He blows a mean trumpet. mean
Pronunciation: (mēn), [key]—
n.
1. Usually,
means. (used with a sing. or pl. v.) 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.
2. means,
a. available resources, esp. money:
They lived beyond their means.
b. considerable financial resources; riches:
a man of means.
3. something that is midway between two extremes; something intermediate:
to seek a mean between cynicism and blind faith.
4. Math.
a. a quantity having a value intermediate between the values of other quantities; an average, esp. the arithmetic mean.
b. either the second or third term in a proportion of four terms.
5. Statistics.expected value. See
mathematical expectation (def. 2).
6. Logic.the middle term in a syllogism.
7. by all means,
a. (in emphasis) certainly:
Go, by all means.
b. at any cost; without fail.
8. by any means, in any way; at all:
We were not surprised at the news by any means.
9. by means of, with the help of; by the agency of; through:
We crossed the stream by means of a log.
10. by no means, in no way; not at all:
The prize is by no means certain.
—
adj.
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. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
