From Middle English menen (“to intend; remember; lament; comfort”), from Old English mǣnan (“to mean, complain”), Proto-West Germanic *mainijan, from Proto-Germanic *mainijaną (“to mean, think; complain”), from Proto-Indo-European *meyn- (“to think”), or perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *meyno-, extended form of Proto-Indo-European *mey-. Germanic cognates include West Frisian miene (“to deem, think”) (Old Frisian mēna (“to signify”)), Dutch menen (“to believe, think, mean”) (Middle Dutch menen (“to think, intend”)), German meinen (“to think, mean, believe”), Old Saxon mēnian. Indo-European cognates include Old Irish mían (“wish, desire”) and Polish mienić (“to signify, believe”). Non-Indo-European cognates include Finnish mainita (“to mention”), Finnish meinata (“to mean, to plan, to intend”) Estonian mainima (“to mention”), Northern Sami máinnastit (“to tell”). Related to moan.
To intend, to plan (to do); to have as one's intention.
I didn't mean to knock your tooth out.
I mean to go to Arévalo in Spain this summer; I’ve been meaning to tell you for weeks, but I’ve just found the time.
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I meant to take the car in for a smog check, but it slipped my mind.
The authors meant a challenge to the status quo.
Do you mean to say you regret it after all?
Doo not my captaines and my ſouldiers looke As if they meant to conquer Affrica?c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene iii:
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To have as intentions of a given kind.
Don't be angry; she meant well.
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Passive, Regional To intend (something) for a given purpose or fate; to predestine.
Actually this desk was meant for the subeditor.
Man was not meant to question such things.
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To intend an ensuing comment or statement as an explanation.
Your reasoning seems needlessly abstruse, complex, and verbose for me. I mean, could you dumb it down for my sake?
› To convey (a meaning).
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To convey (a given sense); to signify, or indicate (an object or idea).
The sky is red this morning—does that mean we're in for a storm?
An artificial kidney these days still means a refrigerator-sized dialysis machine. Such devices mimic the way real kidneys cleanse blood and eject impurities and surplus water as urine.2013 June 1, “A better waterworks”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, →ISSN, page 5:
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Of a word, symbol etc: to have reference to, to signify.
What does this hieroglyph mean?
A term should be included if it’s likely that someone would run across it and want to know what it means.2010, Alexander Humez, Nicholas Humez, Rob Flynn, quoting Wiktionary, Short Cuts: A Guide to Oaths, Ring Tones, Ransom Notes, Famous Last Words, and Other Forms of Minimalist Communication, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 33:
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Americans, for example, call newcomers to Antarctica “fingies”, which comes from FNGs – a borrowed military abbreviation that means “Fucking New Guy”.2024 June 20, Eva Corlett, “Fidlets, fingies and riding a doo: study sheds light on Antarctic English slang”, in The Guardian:
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Of a person (or animal etc): to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude.
I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean.
He’s a little different, if you know what I mean.
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To have conviction in (something said or expressed); to be sincere in (what one says).
Does she really mean what she said to him last night?
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
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To cause or produce (a given result); to bring about (a given result).
One faltering step means certain death.
This breakthrough will mean that we spend less on electricity bills.
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It was a goal that meant West Ham won on their first appearance at Wembley in 31 years, in doing so becoming the first team since Leicester in 1996 to bounce straight back to the Premier League through the play-offs.2012 May 19, Paul Fletcher, “Blackpool 1-2 West Ham”, in BBC Sport:
One of the hidden glories of Victorian engineering is proper drains.[…]But out of sight is out of mind. And that, together with the inherent yuckiness of the subject, means that many old sewers have been neglected and are in dire need of repair.2014 June 14, “It’s a gas”, in The Economist, volume 411, number 8891, →ISSN:
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Usually, With to To be of some level of importance.
That little dog meant everything to me.
Formality and titles mean nothing in their circle.
All the tyme of his sickness he never said, “Alace!” or meaned any pain, whilk was marvellous. Never man died in greater peace of mind or body.1619, Archibald Simson, A true record of the life and death of Mister Patrick Simsone (manuscript); printed in William King Tweedie, editor, Select Biographies, volume 1, Edinburgh, 1845, page 111:
“ If you should die for me, sir knight, “ There’s few for you will mane, “ For many a better has died for me, “ Whose graves are growing green.1810, Walter Scott (gatherer), “Proud Lady Margaret”, in Ministrelsy of the Scottish border, fourth edition, volume 2, Edinburgh, page 247:
Etymology From Middle English mene, imene, from Old English mǣne, ġemǣne (“common, public, general, universal”), from Proto-West Germanic *gamainī, from Proto-Germanic *gamainiz (“common”), from Proto-Indo-European *mey- (“to change, exchange, share”). Doublet of common. Cognate with West Frisian mien (“general, universal”), Dutch gemeen (“common, mean”), German gemein (“common, mean, nasty”), Danish gemen, Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌼𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃 (gamains, “common, unclean”), Latin commūnis (“shared, common, general”) (Old Latin comoinem). For a similar change in definition, see vulgar.
Archaic Of a common or low origin, grade, or quality; common; humble.
a man of mean parentage
a mean abode
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Thinke you I weigh this treaſure more than you? Not all the Gold in Indias welthy armes, Shall buy the meaneſt ſouldier in my traine.c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:
After every qualification of property had been laid aside, the armies of the Roman emperors were still commanded, for the most part, by officers of liberal birth and education; but the common soldiers, like the mercenary troops of modern Europe, were drawn from the meanest, and very frequently from the most profligate, of mankind.1776, Edward Gibbon, chapter 1, in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC:
Why lies He in such mean estate, Where ox and ass are feeding?1865, “What Child Is This?”, William Chatterton Dix (lyrics):
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Low in quality or degree; inferior; poor; shabby.
a mean appearance
a mean dress
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Without dignity of mind; destitute of honour; low-minded; spiritless; base.
a mean motive
It was mean of you to steal that little girl's piggy bank.
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Can you imagine I ſo mean could prove, / To ſave my Life by changing of my Love?1665 (first performance), John Dryden, The Indian Emperour, or, The Conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman […], published 1667, →OCLC, Act IV, scene iv, page 50:
Prince John: Your foe has bloodied you, sir knight. Will you concede defeat? You fight too well to die so mean a death. Will you not throw in your lot with me instead? Ivanhoe: That would be an even meaner death, Your Grace.1952, Ivanhoe:
The story struck the depressingly familiar note with which true stories ring in the tried ears of experienced policemen. No one queried it. It was in the classic pattern of human weakness, mean and embarrassing and sad.1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 20, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
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Of little value or worth; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.
The Roman legions and great Caesar found / Our fathers no mean foes.1708, [John Philips], “(please specify the page)”, in Cyder. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], →OCLC:
He's so mean. I've never seen him spend so much as five pounds on presents for his children.
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Disobliging; pettily offensive or unaccommodating.
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Intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise; bearing ill will towards another.
Watch out for her: she's mean. I said good morning to her, and she punched me in the nose.
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Powerful; fierce; strong.
It must have been a mean typhoon that levelled this town.
[…]in the context of ships available at the time, they were aircraft carrier - fleet carriers. Now, granted, they may not have been the biggest and largest and meanest fleet carriers around, but they certainly were fleet carriers.2020 February 23, Drachinifel, 8:48 from the start, in The Drydock - Episode 082, archived from the original on 08 Aug 2022:
We were sitting in Poetta’s candlelit kitchen waiting for some of her gut-burning chili to get done. Everybody that knows Poetta knows that she makes a mean chili that if you eat it by lunchtime, it can clean out your entire system by the end of the day.2003 July 23, Debra Phillips, The High Price of a Good Man: A Novel, New York City: St. Martin's, page 29:
She wasn’t the most accomplished cook in the world but she cold make a mean stew, she knew how to roast a chicken, and she could whip up eggs at least three different ways.2021 July 23, Margaret Loudon, A Fatal Footnote, New York City: Berkley, →ISBN, page 109:
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Colloquial Accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with.
Your mother can roll a mean cigarette.
He hits a mean backhand.
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A Robot Makes a Mean Caesar Salad, but Will It Cost Jobs? [title]2017 October 6, Claire Martin, “A Robot Makes a Mean Caesar Salad, but Will It Cost Jobs?”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
Etymology From Middle English meene, borrowed from Old French meien (French moyen), Late Latin mediānus (“that is in the middle, middle”), from Latin medius (“middle”). Cognate with mid. For the musical sense, compare the cognate Italian mezzano. Doublet of median and mizzen.
Also, In a singular sense A method or course of action used to achieve some result.
Now chiefly in the plural form means
To say truth, it is a meane full of uncertainty and danger.1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 5, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
You may be able, by this mean, to review your own scientific acquirements.c. 1812, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Essays:
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Philosophical doubt is not an end, but a mean.1860, William Hamilton, Lectures on Metaphysics:
Mr Obama produced an only slightly less ambitious goal for deficit reduction than the House Republicans, albeit working from a more forgiving baseline: $4 trillion over 12 years compared to $4.4 trillion over 10 years. But the means by which he would achieve it are very different.2011 April 14, “Rival visions”, in The Economist:
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Obsolete An intermediate step or intermediate steps.
Verily in this treatise this hath been mine only purpose; and the mean to bring the same to effect hath been such as whereby I studied to profit wholesomely, not to please delicately.a. 1563, Thomas Harding, "To the Reader", in The Works of John Jewel (1845 ed.)
That it was lawful and meritorious to kill and destroy the king, and all the said hereticks. — The mean to effect it, they concluded to be, that, 1. The king, the queen, the prince, the lords spiritual and temporal, the knights and burgoses of the parliament, should be blown up with powder. 2. That the whole royal issue male should be destroyed. S. That they would lake into their custody Elizabeth and Mary the king's daughters, and proclaim the lady Elizabeth queen. 4. That they should feign a Proclamation in the name of Elizabeth, in which no mention should be made of alteration of religion, nor that they were parties to the treason, until they had raised power to perform the same; and then to proclaim, all grievances in the kingdom should be reformed.1606, The Trials of Robert Winter, Thomas Winter, Guy Fawkes, John Grant, Ambrose Rookwood, Rob. Keyes, Thomas Bates, and Sir Everard Digby, at Westminster, for High Treason, being Conspirators in the Gunpowder-Plot:
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a. 1623, John Webster, The Duchess of Malfi Apply desperate physic: / We must not now use balsamum, but fire, / The smarting cupping-glass, for that's the mean / To purge infected blood, such blood as hers.
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Something which is intermediate or in the middle; an intermediate value or range of values; a medium.
Then will not this constitution be a kind of mean between aristocracy and oligarchy?1997, John Llewelyn Davies with David J. Vaughan, Republic, translation of original by Plato, page 263:
as a mean, it implies certain extremes between which it lies, namely the more and the less1996, Harris Rackham, The Nicomachean Ethics, translation of original by Aristotle, page 118:
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1875, William Smith and Samuel Cheetham, editors, A Dictionary of Christian Antiquities, Little, Brown and Company, volume 1, page 10, s.v. Accentus Ecclesiasticus, It presents a sort of mean between speech and song, continually inclining towards the latter, never altogether leaving its hold on the former; it is speech, though always attuned speech, in passages of average interest and importance; it is song, though always distinct and articulate song, in passages demanding more fervid utterance.
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Entertainment, Lifestyle, MusicHistorical The middle part of three-part polyphonic music; now specifically, the alto part in polyphonic music; an alto instrument.
Of these [rattles] they have Base, Tenor, Countertenor, Meane, and Treble.1624, John Smith, Generall Historie, Kupperman, published 1988, page 147:
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Mathematics, Sciences Any function of multiple variables that satisfies certain properties and yields a number representative of its arguments; or, the number so yielded; a measure of central tendency.
Note that (1.41) is simply the probability-weighted mean without any explicit allowance for the stratification; each observation is weighted by its inflation factor and the total divided by the total of the inflation factors for the survey.1997, Angus Deaton, The Analysis of Household Surveys: A Microeconometric Approach to Development Policy, World Bank Publications, page 51
Luckily, even though the arithmetic mean is unusable, both the harmonic and geometric means settle to precise values as the amount of data increases.2002, Clifford A. Pickover, The Mathematics of Oz: Mental Gymnastics from Beyond the Edge, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 246:
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The generalized power means include power means, certain Gini means, in particular the counter-harmonic means.2003, P. S. Bullen, Handbook of Means and Their Inequalities, Springer, →ISBN, page 251:
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Mathematics, Sciences, Statistics The average of a set of values, calculated by summing them together and dividing by the number of terms.
While the average age of the rioter was 27.8 years, the mean age of the nonrioter was 38.1.1980 June 22, Richard Morin, “Profile of a Rioter: Under 30, Male, Frustrated”, in The Washington Post, archived from the original on 28 Aug 2017:
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Mathematics, Sciences Either of the two numbers in the middle of a conventionally presented proportion, as 2 and 3 in 1:2=3:6.
...if four numbers be in proportion, the product of the first and last, or of the two extremes, is equal to the product of the second and third, or of the two means.1825, Silvestre François Lacroix, translated by John Farrar, An Elementary Treatise on Arithmetic, third edition, page 102:
Using the means-extremes property of proportions, you know that the product of the extremes equals the product of the means. The ratio t/4 = 5/2 can be rewritten as t:4 = 5:2, in which the extremes are t and 2, and the means are 4 and 5.1999, Dawn B. Sova, How to Solve Word Problems in Geometry, McGraw-Hill,, →ISBN, page 85:
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In #92;frac#123;18#125;#123;27#125;#61;#92;frac23, the product of the means is 2#92;cdot27, and the product of the extremes is 18#92;cdot3. Both products are 54.2007, Carolyn C. Wheater, Homework Helpers: Geometry, Career Press,, →ISBN, page 99:
Etymology From Middle English meene, borrowed from Old French meien (French moyen), Late Latin mediānus (“that is in the middle, middle”), from Latin medius (“middle”). Cognate with mid. For the musical sense, compare the cognate Italian mezzano. Doublet of median and mizzen.
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Having the mean as its value; average.
The mean family has 2.4 children.
In the mountain region of A-erh-t'ai Shan and Hsiang-t'ien Shan⁷, if the mean west wind velocity is five meters per second, the high tendency at 700mb on the anterior mountain slope may exceed 40 meters in 12 hours.1960 April 7, “Communist China's Achievements in Numerical Weather Forecasting”, in 氣象學報, volume XXX, number 3, United States Joint Publications Research Service, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 Apr 2022, page 4:
I have declared in the causes what harm costiveness hath done in procuring this disease; if it be so noxious, the opposite must needs be good, or mean at least, as indeed it is […]., II.ii.2
being of middle age and a mean staturea. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC:
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according to the fittest style of lofty, mean, or lowly[1644], [John Milton], Of Education. To Master Samuel Hartlib, [London]: […] [Thomas Underhill and/or Thomas Johnson], →OCLC: