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meaning

- 5 dictionary results

mean⋅ing

  [mee-ning]
Use meaning in a Sentence
–noun
1. what is intended to be, or actually is, expressed or indicated; signification; import: the three meanings of a word.
2. the end, purpose, or significance of something: What is the meaning of life? What is the meaning of this intrusion?
3. Linguistics.
a. the nonlinguistic cultural correlate, reference, or denotation of a linguistic form; expression.
b. linguistic content (opposed to expression ).
–adjective
4. intentioned (usually used in combination): She's a well-meaning person.
5. full of significance; expressive: a meaning look.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME (n.); see mean 1 , -ing 1 , -ing 2

Related forms:
mean⋅ing⋅ly, adverb
mean⋅ing⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. tenor, gist, drift, trend. Meaning, purport, sense, significance denote that which is expressed or indicated by something. Meaning is the general word denoting that which is intended to be or actually is expressed or indicated: the meaning of a word or glance. Sense may be used to denote a particular meaning (among others) of a word or phrase: The word is frequently used in this sense. Sense may also be used loosely to refer to intelligible meaning: There's no sense in what he says. Significance refers particularly to a meaning that is implied rather than expressed: the significance of her glance; or to a meaning the importance of which may not be easy to perceive immediately: The real significance of his words was not grasped at the time. Purport is mainly limited to the meaning of a formal document, speech, important conversation, etc., and refers to the gist of something fairly complicated: the purport of your letter to the editor.

mean

1  [meen] verb, meant, mean⋅ing.
–verb (used with object)
1. to have in mind as one's purpose or intention; intend: I meant to compliment you on your work.
2. to intend for a particular purpose, destination, etc.: They were meant for each other.
3. to intend to express or indicate: What do you mean by “liberal”?
4. to have as its sense or signification; signify: The word “freedom” means many things to many people.
5. to bring, cause, or produce as a result: This bonus means that we can take a trip to Florida.
6. to have (certain intentions) toward a person: He didn't mean you any harm.
7. to have the value of; assume the importance of: Money means everything to them. She means the world to him.
–verb (used without object)
8. to be minded or disposed; have intentions: Beware, she means ill, despite her solicitous manner.
—Idiom
9. mean well, to have good intentions; try to be kind or helpful: Her constant queries about your health must be tiresome, but I'm sure she means well.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME menen, OE mǣnan; c. G meinen, D meenen

Synonyms:
1. contemplate. See intend. 2. destine, foreordain. 4. denote, indicate; import, imply, connote.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To meaning
mean 1   (mēn)   
v.   meant (měnt), mean·ing, means

v.   tr.
    1. To be used to convey; denote: "'The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you can 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.
v.   intr.
To have intentions of a specified kind; be disposed: They mean well but lack tact.

[Middle English menen, from Old English mǣnan, to tell of; see mei-no- in Indo-European roots.]
mean·ing   (mē'nĭng)   
n.  
  1. Something that is conveyed or signified; sense or significance.
  2. Something that one wishes to convey, especially by language: The writer's meaning was obscured by his convoluted prose.
  3. An interpreted goal, intent, or end: "The central meaning of his pontificate is to restore papal authority" (Conor Cruise O'Brien).
  4. Inner significance: "But who can comprehend the meaning of the voice of the city?" (O. Henry).
adj.  
  1. Full of meaning; expressive.
  2. Disposed or intended in a specified manner. Often used in combination: a well-meaning fellow; ill-meaning intentions.
Synonyms: These nouns refer to the idea conveyed by something, such as a word, action, gesture, or situation: Synonyms are words with the same or nearly the same meaning. In one of its acceptations value is a technical term in music. The import of his statement is ambiguous. The term anthropometry has only one sense. The significance of a green traffic light is widely understood. Linguists have determined the hieroglyphics' signification.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Meaning

Mean"ing\, n. 1. That which is meant or intended; intent; purpose; aim; object; as, a mischievous meaning was apparent.

If there be any good meaning towards you. --Shak.

2. That which is signified, whether by act lanquage; signification; sence; import; as, the meaning of a hint.

3. Sense; power of thinking. [R.] -- Mean"ing*less, a. -- Mean"ing*ly, adv.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : meaning
Spanish: sentido, significado,
German: die Bedeutung,
Japanese: 意味
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