mean in English dictionary

  • mean

    Meanings and definitions of "mean"

    • To intend.
    • To convey meaning.
    • (obsolete, in singular) An intermediate step or intermediate steps.
    • Causing or intending to cause intentional harm; bearing ill will towards another; cruel; malicious.
    • Miserly; stingy.
    • Selfish; acting without consideration of others; unkind.
    • Powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging.
    • Accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with.
    • Low in quality; inferior.
    • Having the mean (see noun below) as its value.
    • (obsolete) Middling in quality or excellence; moderately good, tolerable.
    • (now chiefly in the plural) A method or course of action used to achieve some result. [from 14th c.]
    • Something which is intermediate or in the middle; an intermediate value or range of values; a medium. [from 14th c.]
    • (music, now historical) The middle part of three-part polyphonic music; now specifically, the alto part in polyphonic music; an alto instrument. [from 15th c.]
    • (statistics) The average of a set of values, calculated by summing them together and dividing by the number of terms; the arithmetic mean. [from 15th c.]
    • (mathematics) 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.
    • (mathematics) Either of the two numbers in the middle of a conventionally presented proportion, as 2 and 3 in 1:2=3:6 .
    • (now Irish, UK regional) To complain, lament.
    • (now Irish, UK regional) To pity; to comfort.
    • adjective
      (obsolete)
      Common; general.
    • adjective
      Of a common or low origin, grade, or quality; common; humble.
    • adjective
      Low in quality or degree; inferior; poor; shabby.
    • adjective
      Without dignity of mind; destitute of honour; low-minded; spiritless; base.
    • adjective
      Of little value or account; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.
    • adjective
      Niggardly; penurious; miserly; stingy.
    • adjective
      Disobliging; pettily offensive or unaccommodating; small.
    • adjective
      Selfish; acting without consideration of others; unkind.
    • adjective
      Causing or intending to cause intentional harm; bearing ill will towards another; cruel; malicious.
    • adjective
      Powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging.
    • adjective
      Accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with.
    • adjective
      (informal, often childish)
      Difficult, tricky.
    • adjective
      Having the mean ( see noun below) as its value.
    • adjective
      (obsolete)
      Middling; intermediate; moderately good, tolerable.
    • noun
      (now chiefly in the plural)
      A method or course of action used to achieve some result. [from 14th c.]
    • noun
      (obsolete, in the singular)
      An intermediate step or intermediate steps.
    • noun
      Something which is intermediate or in the middle; an intermediate value or range of values; a medium. [from 14th c.]
    • noun
      (music, now historical)
      The middle part of three-part polyphonic music; now specifically, the alto part in polyphonic music; an alto instrument. [from 15th c.]
    • noun
      (statistics)
      The average of a set of values, calculated by summing them together and dividing by the number of terms; the arithmetic mean. [from 15th c.]
    • noun
      (mathematics)
      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.
    • noun
      (mathematics)
      Either of the two numbers in the middle of a conventionally presented proportion, as 2 and 3 in 1:2=3:6.
    • verb
      (Ireland, Britain regional)
      To lament.
    • verb
      To intend.
    • verb
      To convey meaning.
    • verb
      (transitive)
      To have conviction in (something said or expressed); to be sincere in (what one says). [from 18th c.]
    • verb
      (transitive)
      To result in; to bring about. [from 19th c.]
    • verb
      (transitive)
      To be important (to). [from 19th c.]
    • to intend; plan on doing
    • to have intentions of some kind
    • to convey, indicate
    • to signify
    • to have conviction in what one says
    • to result in; bring about
    • causing or intending to cause intentional harm
    • miserly, stingy
    • acting without consideration of others
    • powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging
    • low in quality; inferior
    • accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with
    • having the mean as its value
    • method by which something is done
    • intermediate value
    • arithmetic mean
    • the statistical value
    • To have in mind as one's purpose or intention.
    • Characterized by malice.
    • Having or showing an ignoble lack of honor or morality.
    • In mathematics, a measure of the "middle" of a data set.
    • To assign for a specific end, use, or purpose; to design or destine.
    • (golden) mean
    • To have as a logical consequence.
    • To intend to express or convey.
    • adjective
      characterized by malice; "a hateful thing to do"; "in a mean mood"
    • adjective
      excellent; "famous for a mean backhand"
    • adjective
      having or showing an ignoble lack of honor or morality; "that liberal obedience without which your army would be a base rabble"- Edmund Burke; "taking a mean advantage"; "chok'd with ambition of the meaner sort"- Shakespeare; "something essentially vulgar and meanspirited in politics"
    • adjective
      marked by poverty befitting a beggar; "a beggarly existence in the slums"; "a mean hut"
    • adjective
      of no value or worth; "I was caught in the bastardly traffic"
    • adjective
      (used of persons or behavior) characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity; "a mean person"; "he left a miserly tip"
    • adjective
      (used of sums of money) so small in amount as to deserve contempt
    • noun
      an average of n numbers computed by adding some function of the numbers and dividing by some function of n
    • verb
      denote or connote; "`maison' means `house' in French"; "An example sentence would show what this word means"
    • verb
      destine or designate for a certain purpose; "These flowers were meant for you"
    • verb
      have as a logical consequence; "The water shortage means that we have to stop taking long showers"
    • verb
      have a specified degree of importance; "My ex-husband means nothing to me"; "Happiness means everything"
    • verb
      have in mind as a purpose; "I mean no harm"; "I only meant to help you"; "She didn't think to harm me"; "We thought to return early that night"
    • verb
      intend to refer to; "I'm thinking of good food when I talk about France"; "Yes, I meant you when I complained about people who gossip!"
    • verb
      mean or intend to express or convey; "You never understand what I mean!"; "what do his words intend?"

    Synonyms of "mean" in English dictionary

    nasty, mingy, ignoble are the top synonyms of "mean" in the English thesaurus.

    Grammar and declension of mean

    • mean ( not comparable)
    • mean ( third-person singular simple present means, present participle meaning, simple past and past participle meant)
    • mean ( comparative meaner, superlative meanest)
    • mean ( third-person singular simple present means, present participle meaning, simple past and past participle meaned)
    • mean, ~t, ~t; he ~s; be ~ing
    • mean ( plural  means)
    • mean (comparative meaner, superlative meanest)
    • mean (not comparable)
    • mean (third-person singular simple present means, present participle meaning, simple past and past participle meaned)
    • mean (third-person singular simple present means, present participle meaning, simple past and past participle meant)
  • Mean

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