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means

- 7 dictionary results

mean

1  [meen] verb, meant, mean⋅ing.
Use means in a Sentence
–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.

mean

3  [meen]
–noun
1. Usually, means. (used with a singular or plural verb) an agency, instrument, or method used to attain an end: The telephone is a means of communication. There are several means of solving the problem.
2. means,
a. available resources, esp. money: They lived beyond their means.
b. considerable financial resources; riches: a man of means.
3. something that is midway between two extremes; something intermediate: to seek a mean between cynicism and blind faith.
4. Mathematics.
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. Statistics. expected value. mathematical expectation (def. 2).
6. Logic. the middle term in a syllogism.
–adjective
7. occupying a middle position or an intermediate place, as in kind, quality, degree, or time: a mean speed; a mean course; the mean annual rainfall.
—Idioms
8. by all means,
a. (in emphasis) certainly: Go, by all means.
b. at any cost; without fail.
9. by any means, in any way; at all: We were not surprised at the news by any means.
10. by means of, with the help of; by the agency of; through: We crossed the stream by means of a log.
11. by no means, in no way; not at all: The prize is by no means certain.
Origin:
1300–50; ME mene < MF meen, var. of meien < L mediānus; see median
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To means
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 3   (mēn)   
n.  
  1. Something having a position, quality, or condition midway between extremes; a medium.
  2. Mathematics
    1. A number that typifies a set of numbers, such as a geometric mean or an arithmetic mean.
    2. The average value of a set of numbers.
    3. Money, property, or other wealth: You ought to live within your means.
    4. Great wealth: a woman of means.
  3. Logic The middle term in a syllogism.
  4. means (used with a sing. or pl. verb) A method, a course of action, or an instrument by which an act can be accomplished or an end achieved.
  5. means (used with a pl. verb)
    1. Money, property, or other wealth: You ought to live within your means.
    2. Great wealth: a woman of means.
adj.  
  1. Occupying a middle or intermediate position between two extremes.
  2. Intermediate in size, extent, quality, time, or degree; medium.

[Middle English mene, middle, from Old French meien, from Latin mediānus, from medius; see medhyo- in Indo-European roots.]
Usage Note: In the sense of "financial resources" means takes a plural verb: His means are more than adequate. In the sense of "a way to an end," means may be treated as either a singular or plural. It is singular when referring to a particular strategy or method: The best means of securing the cooperation of the builders is to appeal to their self-interest. It is plural when it refers to a group of strategies or methods: The most effective means for dealing with the drug problem have generally been those suggested by the affected communities. · Means is most often followed by of: a means of noise reduction. But for, to, and toward are also used: a means for transmitting sound; a means to an end; a means toward achieving equality.
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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Main Entry: means
Function: noun plural but singular or plural in construction
1 a : something enabling one to achieve a desired end means of self-defense> b : CAUSE 1
2 : resources (as income and assets) at one's disposal
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Language Translation for : means
Spanish: medio, manera,
German: die Mittel(pl.),
Japanese: 手段
More Translations »
mean   (mēn)  Pronunciation Key 
  1. A number or quantity having a value that is intermediate between other numbers or quantities, especially an arithmetic mean or average. See more at arithmetic mean.
  2. Either the second or third term of a proportion of four terms. In the proportion 2/3 = 4/6 , the means are 3 and 4. Compare extreme.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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means

see beyond one's means; by all means; by any means; by means of; by no means; end justifies the means.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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