mean

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

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

   That is one mean stack of dough you have there.

2. 2
   adj

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

   a mean person

3. 3
   adj

   excellent

   famous for a mean backhand

4. 4
   verb

   have in mind as a purpose

   I mean no harm

5. 5
   verb

   destine or designate for a certain purpose

   These flowers were meant for you

6. 6
   verb

   denote or connote

   `maison' means `house' in French

7. 7
   verb

   mean or intend to express or convey

   You never understand what I mean!

8. 8
   verb

   have as a logical consequence

   The water shortage means that we have to stop taking long showers

Etymology

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 co…