meaning

mean·ing

M0180300 (mē′nĭng)n.1. a. The denotation, referent, or idea associated with a word or phrase: How many meanings does the word "dog" have?b. Something that is conveyed or intended, especially by language; sense or significance: The writer's meaning was obscured by convoluted prose.2. An interpreted goal, intent, or end: "The central meaning of his pontificate is to restore papal authority" (Conor Cruise O'Brien).3. A sense of importance or purpose: When he became a teacher, he felt that his life had meaning.adj.1. Disposed or intended in a specified manner. Often used in combination: a well-meaning fellow; ill-meaning intentions.2. Full of meaning; expressive: gave me a meaning look.

meaning

(ˈmiːnɪŋ) n1. the sense or significance of a word, sentence, symbol, etc; import; semantic or lexical content2. the purpose underlying or intended by speech, action, etc3. the inner, symbolic, or true interpretation, value, or message: the meaning of a dream. 4. valid content; efficacy: a law with little or no meaning. 5. (Philosophy) philosophy a. the sense of an expression; its connotationb. the reference of an expression; its denotation. In recent philosophical writings meaning can be used in both the above senses. See also sense¹²adjexpressive of some sense, intention, criticism, etc: a meaning look.

mean•ing

(ˈmi nɪŋ)

n. 1. what is intended to be or actually is expressed or indicated; import: the three meanings of a word. 2. the end, purpose, or significance of something. adj. 3. intentioned (usu. used in combination): a well-meaning person. 4. expressive: a meaning look. [1250–1300] mean′ing•ly, adv. syn: meaning, sense, significance, purport denote that which is expressed or indicated by language or action. meaning is general, describing that which is intended to be, or actually is, expressed: the meaning of a statement. sense often refers to a particular meaning of a word or phrase: The word “run” has many senses. sense may also be used of meaning that is intelligible or reasonable: There's no sense in what you say. significance refers to a meaning that is only implied: the significance of a glance. It may also refer to a meaning the importance of which is not immediately perceived: We did not grasp its significance until years later. purport usu. refers to the essential meaning of something complicated: the purport of a theory.

meaning

intention">intention opinion">opinion1. 'meaning'

The meaning of a word, expression, or gesture is the thing or idea that it refers to or represents.

The word 'guide' is used with various meanings.This gesture has the same meaning throughout Italy.

The meaning of what someone says is what they intend to express.

The meaning of his remark was clear.2. 'intention'

Don't use 'meaning' to refer to what someone intends to do. Don't say, for example, 'His meaning was to leave without paying'. Say 'His intention was to leave without paying'.

Their intention is to finish the work by Friday.3. 'opinion'

Don't use 'meaning' to refer to what someone thinks about something. Don't say, for example, 'I think he should go. What's your meaning?' You say 'I think he should go. What's your opinion?'

My opinion is that this is completely the wrong thing to do.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	meaning - the message that is intended or expressed or signified; "what is the meaning of this sentence"; "the significance of a red traffic light"; "the signification of Chinese characters"; "the import of his announcement was ambiguous"signification, import, significancesubject matter, content, message, substance - what a communication that is about something is aboutlexical meaning - the meaning of a content word that depends on the nonlinguistic concepts it is used to expressgrammatical meaning - the meaning of a word that depends on its role in a sentence; varies with inflectional formsymbolisation, symbolization - the use of symbols to convey meaningsignified, sense - the meaning of a word or expression; the way in which a word or expression or situation can be interpreted; "the dictionary gave several senses for the word"; "in the best sense charity is really a duty"; "the signifier is linked to the signified"connotation, intension - what you must know in order to determine the reference of an expressionreferent - something referred to; the object of a referencegist, burden, essence, effect, core - the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary workpurport, intent, spirit - the intended meaning of a communicationmoral, lesson - the significance of a story or event; "the moral of the story is to love thy neighbor"nuance, subtlety, nicety, refinement, shade - a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude; "without understanding the finer nuances you can't enjoy the humor"; "don't argue about shades of meaning"overtone - (usually plural) an ulterior implicit meaning or quality; "overtones of despair"point - a brief version of the essential meaning of something; "get to the point"; "he missed the point of the joke"; "life has lost its point"
	2.	meaning - the idea that is intended; "What is the meaning of this proverb?"substanceidea, thought - the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about; "it was not a good idea"; "the thought never entered my mind"semantics - the meaning of a word, phrase, sentence, or text; "a petty argument about semantics"implication, significance, import - a meaning that is not expressly stated but can be inferred; "the significance of his remark became clear only later"; "the expectation was spread both by word and by implication"tenor, strain - the general meaning or substance of an utterance; "although I disagreed with him I could follow the tenor of his argument"undercurrent, undertone - a subdued emotional quality underlying an utterance; implicit meaningdenotation, reference, extension - the most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression; the class of objects that an expression refers to; "the extension of `satellite of Mars' is the set containing only Demos and Phobos"reference - the relation between a word or phrase and the object or idea it refers to; "he argued that reference is a consequence of conditioned reflexes"connotation - an idea that is implied or suggested
Adj.	1.	meaning - rich in significance or implication; "a meaning look"pregnant, significantmeaningful - having a meaning or purpose; "a meaningful explanation"; "a meaningful discussion"; "a meaningful pause"

meaning

noun1. significance, message, explanation, substance, value, import, implication, drift, interpretation, essence, purport, connotation, upshot, gist, signification I became more aware of the symbols and their meanings.2. definition, sense, interpretation, explication, elucidation, denotation arguing over the exact meaning of this word or that3. purpose, point, end, idea, goal, design, aim, object, intention Unsure of the meaning of this remark, he remained silent.4. force, use, point, effect, value, worth, consequence, thrust, validity, usefulness, efficacy a challenge that gives meaning to lifeadjective1. expressive, meaningful, pointed, revealing, significant, speaking, pregnant, suggestive, telltale He nodded and gave me a meaning look.

meaning

noun1. That which is signified by a word or expression:acceptation, connotation, denotation, import, intent, message, purport, sense, significance, significancy, signification, value.2. The thread or current of thought uniting or occurring in all the elements of a text or discourse:aim, burden, drift, intent, purport, substance, tendency, tenor, thrust.3. What one intends to do or achieve:aim, ambition, design, end, goal, intent, intention, mark, object, objective, point, purpose, target, view, why.Idioms: end in view, why and wherefore.4. The gist of a specific action or situation:idea, import, point, purport, significance, significancy.adjectiveEffectively conveying meaning, feeling, or mood:eloquent, expressive, meaningful, significant.

Translations

含意意义有含意的

mean³

(miːn) – past tense, past participle meant (ment) – verb1. to (intend to) express, show or indicate. `Vacation' means `holiday'; What do you mean by (saying/doing) that?意指2. to intend. I meant to go to the exhibition but forgot; For whom was that letter meant?; He means (= is determined) to be a rich man some day. 意欲，打算 ˈmeaning noun the sense in which a statement, action, word etc is (intended to be) understood. What is the meaning of this phrase?; What is the meaning of his behaviour?意义 adjective (of a look, glance etc) showing a certain feeling or giving a certain message. The teacher gave the boy a meaning look when he arrived late.有含意的ˈmeaningful adjective (often used loosely) important in some way. a meaningful statement/relationship.富有意义的ˈmeaningless adjective without meaning or reason; of no importance. meaningless chatter.无意义的be meant to to be required or supposed; to have to. The child is meant to be asleep! 必须作（某事） mean well to have good intentions. He meant well by what he said.怀有好意

meaning

→ 含意zhCN

meaning

not know the meaning of the word

To be completely without the particular quality, trait, or characteristic that is being described. Integrity? Ha! John doesn't know the meaning of the word! Oh please, Janet, you don't know the meaning of the word "poor."See also: know, meaning, not, of, word

mean well

To have good intentions. The phrase implies that despite such intentions, one is inept, unhelpful, or a nuisance. Gerri means well, but honestly she usually just ends up getting in the way when we're trying to do work.See also: mean, well

mean business

To be grave and resolute; to be serious about what one is promising or proposing to do. Mom sounded like she means business, so you better clean your room.See also: business, mean

mean (something) for the best

To intend for one's actions to produce a positive outcome. I meant that for the best—I really wasn't trying to hurt your feelings.See also: mean

get (one's) meaning

To understand the meaning, insinuation, or implication of what one is saying. All I'm saying is that I won't be very sad if she breaks up with her boyfriend, if you get my meaning. A: "I want him taken care of—he's become too much of a liability." B: "I think I get your meaning."See also: get, meaning

mean to say

To intend to say; to really mean. Sorry, what I meant to say was that I'll be 30 minutes late, not early. Do you mean to say that we made even less money this quarter?See also: mean, say

pregnant with (something)

Full of, or fraught with, or having a lot of something. Just before naming the guilty party, he gave a pause that seemed pregnant with meaning, and I wondered whether he was telling me the truth. Her speech was pregnant with emotion, and her eyes brimmed with tears as she spoke.See also: pregnant

mean to (do something)

To have the intention, desire, or obligation to do something. I've been meaning to see that new movie everyone is talking about. A: "Did you mow the lawn?" B: "No, I meant to do it yesterday, but I ran out of time."See also: mean

mean (something) as (something else)

To have a particular meaning or intention when saying or doing something. Often used in negative constructions. I didn't mean that as an insult—on the contrary, I meant it as a compliment! I don't think he meant it as a snub to you when he turned his back like that. I think he just wasn't thinking about how it would come across.See also: mean

mean (something) by (something)

To have some hidden or ulterior meaning, judgment, or intention behind one's words or actions. Often used in questions and negative constructions. I didn't mean anything by what I said—I was just making an observation about your clothes, that's all! A: "It's not bad, for someone like you." B: "Hey, what do you mean by that?"See also: by, mean

mean for

1. To intend for something to be received, heard, or understood by a particular person. A noun or pronoun can be used between "mean" and "for"; often used in passive constructions. Sorry, my question was actually meant for Mrs. Roberts. I never meant those criticisms for you! You ate them all? But those cookies were meant for the children!2. To be of importance, significance, or worth to one. A noun or pronoun can be used between "mean" and "for." It's hard to quantify what this amazing gift means for our community, but suffice to say that it will change many lives for the better. Criticism like that doesn't mean anything for me.See also: mean

mean to (one)

To be of importance, significance, or worth to one. A noun or pronoun can be used between "mean" and "to." It's hard to quantify what this amazing gift means to our community, but suffice to say that it will change many lives for the better. Criticism like that doesn't mean anything to me—I just let it roll off me like water off a duck's back.See also: mean

mean no offense

To not imply or intend any offensive meaning in what one says or does. Usually used in the past tense. I truly meant no offense by what I said—I was just making a literal observation about your clothes, that's all! I'm sure you meant no offense, but just consider for a moment how someone might interpret what you said.See also: mean, no, offense

mean nothing

1. Literally, to have no discernible meaning to someone; to be incomprehensible (to someone). Could you just tell me in plain English? All that technical jargon means nothing to me. Without the right decoding software, you'll just be left with a document full of random characters that mean nothing.2. To be completely insignificant or trivial (to someone). All your projections mean nothing if we can't turn them into actual sales. It was just a stupid one-time hookup, I swear—he meant nothing to me!See also: mean, nothing

take on (a) new meaning

To become suddenly more meaningful; to be suddenly able to be interpreted or understood in a different and significant way. Her words took on a new meaning when I realized that she was the daughter of a billionaire. I found that the movie really took on new meaning for me after I became a parent.See also: meaning, new, on, take

mean business

to be very, very serious. Stop laughing! I mean business. I could tell from the look on her face that she meant business.See also: business, mean

mean no offense

not to intend to offend. (See also take no offense.) I'm really sorry. I meant no offense. It was simply a slip of the tongue. He meant no offense by it.See also: mean, no, offense

mean nothing

(to someone) 1. not to make sense to someone. This sentence means nothing to me. It isn't clearly written. I'm sorry. This message means nothing. 2. [for someone] not to have feeling for someone or something. Do I mean nothing to you after all these years? Do all those years of devotion mean nothing?See also: mean, nothing

mean something for someone or something

1. Lit. to imply something important for someone or something; to be important or meaningful for someone or something. Are your comments supposed to mean something special for me? I mean these remarks for the government. 2. Fig. to intend for someone or something to have or receive something. Do you mean this gift for me? I mean this gift for the entire community.See also: mean

mean well

to intend to be nice, polite, helpful, etc., but fail in the effort. I know you mean well, but your comments are sort of insulting.See also: mean, well

take on a new significance

and take on a new meaning[for an event] to acquire a new interpretation; [for something] to become more meaningful or more significant. All these monuments take on a new meaning when you realize the amount of human artistry and skill it took to design and build them.See also: new, on, significance, take

mean business

Be in earnest. For example, He really means business with this deadline. This idiom uses business in the sense of "a serious endeavor." [Mid-1800s] See also: business, mean

mean business

COMMON If you mean business, you are serious and determined about what you are doing. One of them poked a shotgun at me. I could see he meant business. Now, in the wake of the student-led demonstrations, the party is trying to convince people it means business.See also: business, mean

not know the meaning of the word

If you mention a word and say that someone doesn't know the meaning of the word, you mean that they do not have a particular quality or have never done or experienced a particular thing. Love? He doesn't know the meaning of the word! Ruthie was an optimist; she didn't even know the meaning of the word depression. Note: Nouns such as phrase and term are sometimes used instead of word. Patrick doesn't know the meaning of the phrase `speed limit'.See also: know, meaning, not, of, word

mean business

be in earnest. 1992 New York Times The protest is a matter of principle…and also a necessary act of assertiveness by the delegates to show they mean business. See also: business, mean

mean to say

really admit or intend to say. 1977 Jennifer Johnston Shadows on our Skin I mean to say, Joe Logan , where are you if you can't resist putting a small white tube of poison into your mouth every half an hour? See also: mean, say

not know the meaning of the word

behave as if unaware of the concept referred to or implied. informalSee also: know, meaning, not, of, word

not know the ˈmeaning of the word

(disapproving) not have enough experience of something to understand what it really is; not be capable of really understanding something: Love? He doesn’t know the meaning of the word. ♢ They talk about justice, but they don’t know the meaning of the word.See also: know, meaning, not, of, word

mean ˈbusiness

(informal) be serious about what you plan to do; be determined: He means business. If we try to escape, he’ll shoot us. ♢ I’m not joking. This time I really mean business.See also: business, mean

mean to ˈsay

used to emphasize what you are saying or to ask somebody if they really mean what they say: I mean to say, you should have known how he would react! ♢ Do you mean to say you’ve lost it?See also: mean, say

ˈmean well

(usually disapproving) have good intentions, although their effect may not be good: Your father means well, I know, but I wish he’d stop telling us what to do. ♢ She’s always suggesting ways I could improve my cooking. I know she means well but it really annoys me. ▶ ˌwell-ˈmeaning adj.: She’s very well-meaning, but she only makes the situation worse.See also: mean, well

get somebody’s ˈmeaning

(informal) understand what somebody is really saying: I get your meaning. You don’t need to say any more.See also: get, meaning

mean business

tv. to be very, very serious. Stop laughing! I mean business. See also: business, mean

mean business

Informal To be in earnest.See also: business, mean

meaning

mean·ing

meaning

mean•ing

meaning

meaning

meaning

mean3

meaning

meaning

not know the meaning of the word

mean well

mean business

mean (something) for the best

get (one's) meaning

mean to say

pregnant with (something)

mean to (do something)

mean (something) as (something else)

mean (something) by (something)

mean for

mean to (one)

mean no offense

mean nothing

take on (a) new meaning

mean business

mean no offense

mean nothing

mean something for someone or something

mean well

take on a new significance

mean business

mean business

not know the meaning of the word

mean business

mean to say

not know the meaning of the word

not know the ˈmeaning of the word

mean ˈbusiness

mean to ˈsay

ˈmean well

get somebody’s ˈmeaning

mean business

mean business

meaning

meaning

Meaning

meaning

Synonyms for meaning

noun significance

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noun definition

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noun purpose

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noun force

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adj expressive

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Synonyms for meaning

noun that which is signified by a word or expression

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noun the thread or current of thought uniting or occurring in all the elements of a text or discourse

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noun what one intends to do or achieve

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noun the gist of a specific action or situation

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adj effectively conveying meaning, feeling, or mood

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Synonyms for meaning

noun the message that is intended or expressed or signified

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noun the idea that is intended

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adj rich in significance or implication

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mean³