Definition of Mean in English :

Define Mean in English

Mean meaning in English

Meaning of Mean in English

Pronunciation of Mean in English

Mean pronunciation in English

Pronounce Mean in English

Mean

see synonyms of mean

Noun

1. mean, mean value

an average of n numbers computed by adding some function of the numbers and dividing by some function of n

Verb

2. intend, mean

mean or intend to express or convey

Example Sentences:
'You never understand what I mean!'
'what do his words intend?'

3. entail, imply, mean

have as a logical consequence

Example Sentences:
'The water shortage means that we have to stop taking long showers'

4. intend, mean, signify, stand for

denote or connote

Example Sentences:
'maison' means house' in French'
'An example sentence would show what this word means'

5. intend, mean, think

have in mind as a purpose

Example Sentences:
'I mean no harm'
'I only meant to help you'
'She didn't think to harm me'
'We thought to return early that night'

6. mean

have a specified degree of importance

Example Sentences:
'My ex-husband means nothing to me'
'Happiness means everything'

7. have in mind, mean, think of

intend to refer to

Example Sentences:
'I'm thinking of good food when I talk about France'
'Yes, I meant you when I complained about people who gossip!'

8. mean

destine or designate for a certain purpose

Example Sentences:
'These flowers were meant for you'

Adjective

9. average, mean

approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value

Example Sentences:
'the average income in New England is below that of the nation'
'of average height for his age'
'the mean annual rainfall'

10. hateful, mean

characterized by malice

Example Sentences:
'a hateful thing to do'
'in a mean mood'

11. base, mean, meanspirited

having or showing an ignoble lack of honor or morality

Example Sentences:
'that liberal obedience without which your army would be a base rabble'
'taking a mean advantage'
'chok'd with ambition of the meaner sort'
'something essentially vulgar and meanspirited in politics'

12. mean

excellent

Example Sentences:
'famous for a mean backhand'

13. beggarly, mean

marked by poverty befitting a beggar

Example Sentences:
'a beggarly existence in the slums'
'a mean hut'

14. mean, mingy, miserly, tight

(used of persons or behavior) characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity

Example Sentences:
'a mean person'
'he left a miserly tip'

15. beggarly, mean

(used of sums of money) so small in amount as to deserve contempt

16. bastardly, mean

of no value or worth

Example Sentences:
'I was caught in the bastardly traffic'

WordNet Lexical Database for English. Princeton University. 2010.


Mean

see synonyms of mean
noun
1. 
the middle point, state, or course between limits or extremes
2. 
moderation
3. mathematics
a. 
the second and third terms of a proportion, as b and c in a/b = c/d
b.  another name for average (sense 2), See also geometric mean
4. statistics
a 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
5. 
intermediate or medium in size, quantity, etc
6. 
occurring halfway between extremes or limits; average
verbWord forms: means, meaning or meant (mainly tr)
1. (may take a clause as object or an infinitive)
to intend to convey or express
2. (may take a clause as object or an infinitive)
intend
she didn't mean to hurt it
3. (may take a clause as object)
to say or do in all seriousness
the boss means what he says about strikes
4. (often passive; often foll by for)
to destine or design (for a certain person or purpose)
she was meant for greater things
5. (may take a clause as object)
to denote or connote; signify; represent
examples help show exactly what a word means
6. (may take a clause as object)
to produce; cause
the weather will mean long traffic delays
7. (may take a clause as object)
to foretell; portend
those dark clouds mean rain
8. 
to have the importance of
money means nothing to him
9. (intransitive)
to have the intention of behaving or acting (esp in the phrases mean well or mean ill)
10.  mean business
adjective
1. mainly British
miserly, ungenerous, or petty
2. 
humble, obscure, or lowly
he rose from mean origins to high office
3. 
despicable, ignoble, or callous
a mean action
4. 
poor or shabby
mean clothing
a mean abode
5. informal, mainly US and Canadian
bad-tempered; vicious
6. informal
ashamed
he felt mean about not letting the children go to the zoo
7. informal, mainly US
unwell; in low spirits
8. slang
excellent; skilful
he plays a mean trombone
9.  no mean

Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers


Mean

see synonyms of mean
verb transitiveWord forms: meant (mɛnt ; ment) or ˈmeaning
1. 
to have in mind; intend; purpose
he means to go
2. 
a. 
to intend or design for a certain person or purpose
a gift meant for you
b. 
to destine or seem to destine
he was meant to be a doctor
3. 
to intend to express, signify, or indicate
to say what one means
4. 
a. 
to be used to convey; denote
the German word “jameans “yes”
b. 
to be a sign, indication, or herald of; signify
this means war!
verb intransitive
5. 
to have a purpose or intention in mind
chiefly in mean well, to have good intentions
6. 
to have a (specified) degree of importance, effect, or influence
honors mean little to him
adjective
1. 
low in quality, value, or importance; paltry; poor; inferior
now usually in negative constructions
paid no mean sum
2.  Rare
low in social status or rank; of humble origin
3. 
poor in appearance; shabby
a mean dwelling
4. 
ignoble; base; small-minded; petty
5. 
stingy; miserly; penurious
6.  US
bad-tempered; vicious; unmanageable
said of a horse, etc.
7.  US
pettily or contemptibly selfish, bad-tempered, disagreeable, malicious, etc.
8.  US
humiliated or ashamed
9.  US, Informal
in poor health; not well; ill; indisposed
10.  US, Slang
a. 
hard to cope with; difficult
to throw a mean curve in baseball
b. 
skillful; expert
to play a mean game of chess
adjective
1. 
halfway between extremes; in a middle or intermediate position as to place, time, quantity, quality, kind, value, degree, etc.
2. 
medium; average; middling
noun
3. 
what is between extremes; intermediate state, quality, course, or procedure
4. 
avoidance of extremes or excess; moderation
5.  Ancient Mathematics
a. 
a number between the smallest and largest values of a set of quantities, obtained by some prescribed method: unless otherwise qualified, the arithmetic mean
b. 
the number obtained by multiplying each value of x by the probability (or probability density) of x and then summing (or integrating) over the range of x
c. 
the second or third term of a four-term proportion
see also geometric mean, means

Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.


Mean

see synonyms of mean
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.
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.
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.

The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2018 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.