| 单词 | mean |
| 释义 | verb | adjective | noun meanmean1 /min/ ●●● S1 W1 verb (past tense and past participle meant /mɛnt/) [transitive] 1HAVE A PARTICULAR MEANING [not in progressive] to have a particular meaning or be used as a symbol or sign for something: What does “patronizing” mean?mean (that) This triangle means that there’s a campsite there. A red light means stop. What is meant by “essential” in this case?THESAURUSrepresent – if a shape, letter, object, etc. represents something, it is used as a sign (=picture or shape) or mark for that thing: The brown areas on the map represent deserts. The letter “a” represents several different sounds in the English language.symbolize – if something, especially an object or picture, symbolizes an idea or feeling, it represents it: The Statue of Liberty symbolizes that we are a nation of immigrants.stand for – if a letter or group of letters stands for something, it is a short way of saying or writing it: EPCOT originally stood for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.signify/denote formal – to mean or represent something: A white dove is often used to signify peace. The four stars on his uniform denote a high-ranking general.indicate – to represent something: Sales targets are indicated on the graph by the dotted line.2INTEND TO SAY something [not in progressive] to intend a particular meaning when you say something: mean (that) Oh, I meant that I wasn’t going to go. You may want to ask her later what she meant by that. Oh, I see what you mean (=I now understand what you said) about Jane’s accent being strong. I want to buy her something really special, know what I mean (=used to check that someone understands you)? “I thought the final was really hard.” “I know what you mean (=I understand and have had the same experience); it was a lot tougher than the midterm.” What I mean is, (=used to explain more about what you have said) we don’t really need the money.(do) you mean (=used to check that you have understood what someone intended to say) You mean I could make money off this? Straight? How do you mean (=used to ask someone to explain what they have said), straight?3INTEND TO DO something to intend to do something or intend that someone else should do something: mean to do something Sorry, I didn’t mean to pull your hair. I’ve been meaning to ask you about this bill. I’m sure she didn’t mean it (=did not intend to upset or hurt you); she’s just tired. The doctor meant well (=intended to be helpful or kind), but he should have checked the drug’s side effects. He had meant no harm (=not intended to hurt or upset anyone); he was only doing his job.mean for somebody to do something I didn’t mean for Tina to get hurt. → see also mean no harm at harm1 (2)4RESULT IN something [not in progressive] to have a particular result or involve something: Does this mean I can’t go?mean (that) The curfews meant that about 250,000 people were confined to their homes.mean doing something My new job will mean traveling all over the world. A lack of discipline in a child’s life can mean trouble (=result in problems) later on.5SAY something SERIOUSLY [not in progressive] to have a serious purpose in something you say or write: With children, if you say “no,” you have to mean it. Jordan, stop that. I meant what I said before. You don’t really mean that, do you?SPOKEN PHRASES6I mean a)used when explaining or giving an example of something, or when pausing to think about what you are going to say next: You’d better do it. I mean, you’ve done it before. I mean, he was nice and everything, but I just didn’t find him attractive. b)used to quickly correct something you have just said: I just bought some apricots, no, I mean peaches.7that’s what I mean used when someone is saying the same thing that you were trying to say earlier: “We might not have enough money.” “That’s what I mean. We have to find out the price first.”8what do you mean...? a)used when you do not understand what someone is trying to say: What do you mean by “better”? Better for whom? What do you mean by that? b)used when you are very surprised or annoyed by what someone has just said: I got there first! What do you mean I lost? c)old-fashioned used when you are annoyed by what someone has just done: what do you mean by doing something? What do you mean by coming here and frightening the animals?9see what I mean? used when something that happens proves what you said before: See what I mean? Every time she phones she wants me to do something for her.10SAY WHICH PERSON/THING [not in progressive] used to say that a particular person or thing is the one that you are talking about, pointing to, etc.: Oh, you mean the blue shorts. What’s her name, I mean the lady over there?11SHOW something IS TRUE/WILL HAPPEN [not in progressive] to be a sign that something is true or will happen: Finding a lump does not necessarily mean you have cancer. Clear skies mean a cold night. For heaven’s sake, just because we went out for coffee doesn’t mean we’re getting married.► see thesaurus at demonstrate12HOW IMPORTANT somebody/something IS used to say something is very important to someone: mean something to somebody I know how much your work means to you. It means a lot to me to do a good job. The farm meant everything to Dad. Her son means the world to her. Democracy means nothing (=is not important) to those who do not have enough to eat.mean something/anything You say you love me, but you act like I don’t mean anything to you.13somebody means business to be determined to succeed in getting the result you want: The decision is a sign that the administration means business.14mean something/anything/nothing to somebody if a name, word, idea, etc. means something to you, you are familiar with it: Does the name Blackman mean anything to you? Then, phrases like “ozone layer” meant nothing to most Americans.15be meant to do something a)to be intended to do something: Christmas time is meant to bring people together. b)if you are meant to do something, you should do it, especially because someone has told you to or because it is your responsibility SYN be supposed to do something: Come on, Ellie, you’re meant to be helping me.16be meant for somebody/something to be intended for a particular person or purpose: a book meant for children17be meant to do/be something to have the appropriate qualities to do a particular job or activity: Perhaps she is meant to be a teacher.18be meant for each other if two people are meant for each other, they are very good partners for each other: Judith and Eric were meant for each other.19something was meant to be used to say that you think a situation was certain to happen and that no one had any power to prevent it: “He hasn’t called yet.” “Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be.”20know/understand/see what it means to be something to have experienced a particular situation so that you know what it is like: I know what it means to be alone.[Origin: Old English mænan] → see also well-meaning, well-meant verb | adjective | noun meanmean2 ●●● S3 adjective 1NOT NICE not nice and making someone feel upset: There’s no reason to be mean. That was a mean trick.mean to Mom, Ben is being mean to me. She has a mean streak (=a tendency to be mean). Clayton doesn’t have a mean bone in his body (=he’s not mean at all).THESAURUSunkind – unkind means the same thing as mean but it sounds more formal: It was unkind to tell her that she looked fat.cruel – very mean and deliberately making someone suffer or feel unhappy: Girls can be very cruel to each other.thoughtless – not thinking about the needs and feelings of other people: It’s your sister’s birthday, and you didn’t even call her? How can you be so thoughtless!nasty – mean, often deliberately and for no reason: Their neighbors were really nasty.hurtful – mean, and said or done especially because you feel something is unfair, you are jealous, etc.: He said some hurtful things that he later regretted.spiteful – mean, and done or said deliberately because you are angry or jealous: Jen’s remark upset Chris, so he said some spiteful things to her.abusive – using cruel words or physical violence: Hannah had an abusive father.vicious – extremely cruel and deliberately trying to upset someone: There is a vicious rumor going around that she is pregnant, but she’s not.malicious formal – showing a desire to harm, upset, or cause problems for someone. Used especially about things people say or write: The girls started spreading malicious gossip as a way of getting back at her.vindictive – mean and unfair especially because you want to harm someone who has harmed you: She became bitter and vindictive after her husband left her, and she refused to let him see the children.2no mean feat/trick/achievement etc. something that is very difficult to do so that someone who does it deserves to be admired: Charlie found a notepad, no mean feat given the state of his desk.3no mean performer/player etc. someone who is very good at doing something: The competition was judged by William Styron, no mean novelist himself.4a mean something informal used to say that something is very good or someone is very skillful at doing something: Stritch plays a mean piano.5AVERAGE [only before noun] math average: The mean length of stay in the hospital is 11 days.6POOR [only before noun] literary poor or looking poor: His photos captured forever the mean streets of New York.[Origin: (1-4, 6) Old English gemæne]—meanly adverb—meanness noun [uncountable] verb | adjective | noun meanmean3 noun [countable] 1 (also arithmetic mean) math the average of two or more numbers, amounts, or values, calculated by adding the numbers together and dividing the result by how many numbers there are: The mean of 3, 8, and 10 is 7, because 3+8+10=21, and 21 divided by 3 is 7. → see also median1 (2), mode2the/a mean between something and something a method or way of doing something that is between two very different methods, and better than either of them: It’s a case of finding the mean between firmness and compassion. → see also means |
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