| 释义 |
by any means
mean 1 M0179600 (mēn)v. meant (mĕnt), mean·ing, means v.tr.1. a. To be used to convey; denote: "'The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you can make words mean so many different things'" (Lewis Carroll).b. To act as a symbol of; signify or represent: In this poem, the budding flower means youth.2. To intend to convey or indicate: "No one means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous" (Henry Adams).3. To have as a purpose or an intention; intend: I meant to go running this morning, but I overslept.4. To design, intend, or destine for a certain purpose or end: a building that was meant for storage; a student who was meant to be a scientist.5. To have as a consequence; bring about: Friction means heat.6. To have the importance or value of: The opinions of the critics meant nothing to him. She meant so much to me.v.intr. To have intentions of a specified kind; be disposed: They mean well but lack tact.Idiom: mean business Informal To be in earnest.
[Middle English menen, from Old English mǣnan, to tell of; see mei-no- in Indo-European roots.]
mean 2 M0179600 (mēn)adj. mean·er, mean·est 1. a. Lacking in kindness; unkind: The teacher was not being mean in asking you to be quiet.b. Cruel, spiteful, or malicious: a mean boy who liked to make fun of others.c. Expressing spite or malice: gave me a mean look.d. Tending toward or characterized by cruelty or violence: mean streets.e. Extremely unpleasant or disagreeable: the meanest storm in years.2. Ignoble; base: a mean motive. See Synonyms at base2.3. Miserly; stingy: mean with money.4. a. Low in value, rank, or social status: "I preferred the condition of the meanest reptile to my own" (Frederick Douglass).b. Common or poor in appearance; shabby: "The rowhouses had been darkened by the rain and looked meaner and grimmer than ever" (Anne Tyler).5. Slang a. Hard to cope with; difficult or troublesome: He throws a mean fast ball.b. Excellent; skillful: She plays a mean game of bridge.
[Middle English, from Old English gemǣne, common; see mei- in Indo-European roots.]
mean′ness n.
mean 3 M0179600 (mēn)n.1. Something having a position, quality, or condition midway between extremes; a medium.2. Mathematics a. A number that typifies a set of numbers, such as a geometric mean or an arithmetic mean.b. The average value of a set of numbers.3. Logic The middle term in a syllogism.4. means(used with a sing. or pl. verb) A method, a course of action, or an instrument by which an act can be accomplished or an end achieved.5. means(used with a pl. verb)a. Money, property, or other wealth: You ought to live within your means.b. Great wealth: a woman of means.adj.1. Occupying a middle or intermediate position between two extremes.2. Intermediate in size, extent, quality, time, or degree; medium.Idioms: by all means Without fail; certainly. by any means In any way possible; to any extent: not by any means an easy opponent. by means of With the use of; owing to: They succeeded by means of patience and sacrifice. by no means In no sense; certainly not: This remark by no means should be taken lightly.
[Middle English mene, middle, from Old French meien, from Latin mediānus, from medius; see medhyo- in Indo-European roots.]Usage Note: In the sense of "financial resources" means takes a plural verb: His means are more than adequate. In the sense of "a way to an end," means may be treated as a singular or plural. It is singular when referring to a particular strategy or method: The best means of securing the cooperation of the builders is to appeal to their self-interest. It is plural when it refers to a group of strategies or methods: The most effective means for dealing with the drug problem have often been those suggested by the affected communities. · Means is most often followed by of: a means of noise reduction. But for, to, and toward are also used: a means for transmitting sound; a means to an end; a means toward achieving equality.Thesaurus| Adv. | 1. | by any means - in any way necessary; "I'll pass this course by hook or by crook"by hook or by crook |
by any means
by any meansIn any possible way. Often used in the negative. We need to court that big investor by any means, so shameless flattery is a fine place to start! Not by any means shall our country be drawn into yet another war overseas.See also: any, by, meanby any meansby any way possible. I need to get there soon by any means. I must win this contest by any means, fair or unfair.See also: any, by, meanby any meansIn any possible way, no matter how, as in By any means I've got to get there. [Late 1400s] Also see by hook or crook; by means of; by no means. See also: any, by, mean by any means In any way possible; to any extent: not by any means an easy opponent.See also: any, by, meanEncyclopediaSeemeanLegalSeeMeanby any means
Synonyms for by any meansadv in any way necessarySynonyms |