mean¹ (mēn)

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[Middle English menen, from Old English mǣnan, to tell of.]

verb: meant (mĕnt), mean·ing, means. 

transitive verb 

1. 1. To be used to convey; denote: “‘The question is,’ said Alice, ‘whether you make words mean so many different things’” (Lewis Carroll)
   2. 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.

intransitive verb 

To have intentions of a specified kind; be disposed: They mean well but lack tact.

idioms

mean business

To be in earnest.

mean² (mēn)

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[Middle English, from Old English gemǣne, common.]

adjective: mean·er, mean·est. 

1. 1. Selfish in a petty way; unkind.
   2. Cruel, spiteful, or malicious.
2. Ignoble; base: a mean motive.
3. Miserly; stingy.
4. 1. Low in quality or grade; inferior.
   2. Low in value or amount; paltry: paid no mean amount for the new shoes.
5. Common or poor in appearance; shabby: “The rowhouses had been darkened by the rain and looked meaner and grimmer than ever” (Anne Tyler)
6. Low in social status; of humble origins.
7. Humiliated or ashamed.
8. In poor physical condition; sick or debilitated.
9. Extremely unpleasant or disagreeable: The meanest storm in years.
10. Informal Ill-tempered.
11. Slang
    1. Hard to cope with; difficult or troublesome: He throws a mean fast ball.
    2. Excellent; skillful: She plays a mean game of bridge.

synonyms:

mean²low¹base²abject, ignoble, sordid These adjectives mean lacking in dignity or falling short of the standards befitting humans. Mean suggests pettiness, spite, or niggardliness: “Never ascribe to an opponent motives meaner than your own” (J.M. Barrie) Something low violates standards of morality, ethics, or propriety: low cunning; a low trick. Base suggests a contemptible, mean-spirited, or selfish lack of human decency: “that liberal obedience, without which your army would be a base rabble” (Edmund Burke) Abject means brought low in condition: abject submission; abject poverty. Ignoble means lacking noble qualities, such as elevated moral character: “For my part I think it a less evil that some criminals should escape than that the government should play an ignoble part” (Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.) Sordid suggests foul, repulsive degradation: “It is through art . . . that we can shield ourselves from the sordid perils of actual existence” (Oscar Wilde)

mean³ (mēn)

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[Middle English mene, middle, from Old French meien, from Latin mediānus, from medius.]

noun 

1. Something having a position, quality, or condition midway between extremes; a medium.
2. Mathematics
   1. A number that typifies a set of numbers, such as a geometric mean or an arithmetic mean.
   2. The average value of a set of numbers.
3. Logic The middle term in a syllogism.
4. A method, a course of action, or an instrument by which an act can be accomplished or an end achieved.
5. 1. Money, property, or other wealth: You ought to live within your means.
   2. Great wealth: a woman of means.

adjective 

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.

usage note

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 either 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 generally 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.