mean: Meaning and Definition of

mean

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.

1. to be minded or disposed; have intentions: Beware, she means ill, despite her solicitous manner.
2. 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

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. in poor physical condition.
10. troublesome or vicious; bad-tempered: a mean old horse.
11. skillful or impressive: He blows a mean trumpet.

mean

1. Usually, 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. They lived beyond their means.
1. available resources, esp. money:They lived beyond their means.
2. 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.
1. a quantity having a value intermediate between the values of other quantities; an average, esp. the arithmetic mean.
2. either the second or third term in a proportion of four terms.
5. expected value. See(def. 2).
6. the middle term in a syllogism.
7. Go, by all means.
1. (in emphasis) certainly:Go, by all means.
2. at any cost; without fail.
8. in any way; at all: We were not surprised at the news by any means.
9. with the help of; by the agency of; through: We crossed the stream by means of a log.
10. in no way; not at all: The prize is by no means certain.

1. 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.