Collins English-English Dictionary

mean [miːn]

1. 1. vb [mainly tr] [may take a clause as object or an infinitive] to intend to convey or express

2. 2. vb [may take a clause as object or an infinitive] intend

   she didn't mean to hurt it

3. 3. vb [may take a clause as object] to say or do in all seriousness

   the boss means what he says about strikes

4. 4. vb [often passive; often foll by for] to destine or design (for a certain person or purpose)

   she was meant for greater things

5. 5. vb [may take a clause as object] to denote or connote; signify; represent

   examples help show exactly what a word means

6. 6. vb [may take a clause as object] to produce; cause

   the weather will mean long traffic delays

7. 7. vb [may take a clause as object] to foretell; portend

   those dark clouds mean rain

8. 8. vb to have the importance of

   money means nothing to him

9. 9. vi. [intr] to have the intention of behaving or acting (esp in the phrases mean well or mean ill)

10. 10. vi. [Etymology] Old English mænan; compare Old Saxon menian to intend, Dutch meenen

11. 11. vi. [Usage] In standard English, mean should not be followed by for when expressing intention: I didn't mean this to happen (not I didn't mean for this to happen)

mean [miːn]

1. 1. adj [chiefly Brit] miserly, ungenerous, or petty

2. 2. adj humble, obscure, or lowly

   he rose from mean origins to high office

3. 3. adj despicable, ignoble, or callous

   a mean action

4. 4. adj poor or shabby

   mean clothing

   a mean abode

5. 5. adj [Spoken] [chiefly US and Canadian] bad-tempered; vicious

6. 6. adj [Spoken] ashamed

   he felt mean about not letting the children go to the zoo

7. 7. adj [Spoken] [chiefly US] unwell; in low spirits

8. 8. adj [Slang] excellent; skilful

   he plays a mean trombone

9. 9. adj [Etymology] C12: from Old English gemæne common; related to Old High German gimeini, Latin communis common, at first with no pejorative sense

mean [miːn]

1. 1. n the middle point, state, or course between limits or extremes

2. 2. n moderation

3. 3. n [maths] the second and third terms of a proportion, as b and c in a/b = c/d

4. 4. n another name for average - See also geometric mean

5. 5. n [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

6. 6. adj intermediate or medium in size, quantity, etc

7. 7. adj occurring halfway between extremes or limits; average

8. 8. adj See also means

9. 9. adj [Etymology] C14: via Anglo-Norman from Old French moien, from Late Latin medianus median