mean1
(min)
v. meant, mean•ing. v.t. 1. to have in mind as one's purpose or intention; intend.
2. to intend for a particular destiny: They were meant for each other.
3. to intend to express or indicate: What do you mean by “perfect” ?
4. to have as its sense or signification; signify.
5. to bring, cause, or produce as a result: Prosperity means peace.
6. to have the value of: Money means everything to them.
v.i. 7. to have specified intentions: We meant well.
[before 900; Middle English menen, Old English mǣnan, c. Old Frisian mēna, Old Saxon mēnian, Old High German meinen]
mean2
(min)
adj. -er, -est. 1. uncharitable; malicious: a mean remark.
2. small-minded; ignoble: mean motives.
3. stingy; miserly.
4. inferior in quality or character.
5. low in status: mean servitors.
6. bad-tempered: a mean horse.
7. excellent; topnotch: plays a mean game of tennis.
[before 900; variant of
imene, Old English
gemǣne common, inferior, c. Old Frisian mēne, Old High German gimeini, Gothic
gamains; compare
common]
mean′ness, n.
mean3
(min)
n. 1. Usu., means. (used with a sing. or pl. v.) an agency, instrument, or method used to attain an end.
2. means, a. available resources, esp. money.
b. considerable financial resources: a person of means.
3. something midway between two extremes.
4. a. a quantity having a value intermediate between the values of other quantities; an average, esp. the arithmetic mean.
b. either the second or third term in a proportion of four terms.
5. the middle term in a syllogism.
adj. 6. occupying a middle position or intermediate place.
Idioms: 1. by all means, certainly.
2. by any means, in any way; at all.
3. by means of, by the agency of; through.
4. by no means, not at all.
[1300–50; Middle English
mene < Anglo-French, Old French
meen, variant of
meien < Latin
mediānus; see
median]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.