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.
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
1
First recorded before 900; Middle English menen, Old English mǣnan; cognate with German meinen, Dutch meenen
SYNONYMS 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
synonym study for mean
1. See intend.
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH mean
mean , mien
Words nearby mean
mealtime, mealworm, mealy, mealybug, mealy-mouthed, mean, mean anomaly, mean business, mean calorie, mean cell hemoglobin, mean cell hemoglobin concentration
Definition 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.
Origin of mean
2
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
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.
Definition 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
3
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
The term “off-roading” means different things to different people.
Three Family-Friendly Adventures to Try This Fall|Outside Editors|September 17, 2020|Outside Online
The most recent data, through Tuesday, indicates that about 53 percent of deaths have occurred in blue states — meaning that 47 percent have occurred in red ones.
Trump blames blue states for the coronavirus death toll — but most recent deaths have been in red states|Philip Bump|September 16, 2020|Washington Post
Some states are also mandated to remove voters deemed “inactive,” meaning they didn’t respond to a mailer sent to confirm their address and haven’t voted in the last few elections.
ProPublica’s Pandemic Guide to Making Sure Your Vote Counts|by Susie Armitage|September 16, 2020|ProPublica
I mean, I thought I’d take it right off the table right this very minute.
Trump, in town hall, says he wouldn’t have done anything differently on pandemic|Colby Itkowitz, Josh Dawsey, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner|September 16, 2020|Washington Post
One doctor said some patients attacked their peers or employees as a way to get out of the hospital, even if it meant going to jail.
Still No Answers to Lawmakers’ Questions About Children Stuck in Psychiatric Hospitals|by Duaa Eldeib|September 15, 2020|ProPublica
I mean, physically, mentally, you know, in every way, shape, and form.
I Tried to Warn You About Sleazy Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 2003|Vicky Ward|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
What does Bondi mean that clerks now should “determine how to proceed”?
The Back Alley, Low Blow-Ridden Fight to Stop Gay Marriage in Florida Is Finally Over|Jay Michaelson|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
What is most troubling is our – and I do mean “our” and not “their” – never treating these situations as learning opportunities.
In 2015, Let’s Try for More Compassion|Gene Robinson|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
They want Marvin to be as mean and as lonely and as trashy as the characters he portrays.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I mean, the reality of it was, I had to go out and get on a horse, and ride in, shoot the gun — how hard was that, right?
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
If I hadn't kept going when you all wanted to turn back, you mean.
The Lost Valley|J. M. Walsh
It is on a plateau—the particular point that I mean—a plateau of precipitous mountains.
Running Sands|Reginald Wright Kauffman
You mean that you do not know how to honor and trust when you lose faith.
Tessa Wadsworth's Discipline|Jennie M. Drinkwater
It is, if I may be allowed to say so, the sinister suggestion in your speech, inspector—superintendent I mean.
The Green Rust|Edgar Wallace
To that I can only say that I don't understand what you do mean.
Albert Durer|T. Sturge Moore
British Dictionary definitions for mean (1 of 3)
mean1
/ (miːn) /
verbmeans, meaningormeant(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 wellormean ill)
mean businessto 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
mainlyBritishmiserly, 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, mainlyUS and Canadianbad-tempered; vicious
informalashamedhe felt mean about not letting the children go to the zoo
informal, mainlyUSunwell; in low spirits
slangexcellent; 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
statisticsa 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
See also means
Word Origin for mean
C14: via Anglo-Norman from Old French moien, from Late Latin mediānusmedian
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.)
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.