Mean
verb
To have something as a purpose or intention; to intend.
I mean to finish this project on time.
Often appears as...
- didn't mean to
- mean well
verb
To indicate or suggest.
The red sky at night means good weather tomorrow.
Often appears as...
- mean no harm
- mean a lot
adjective
Unkind, spiteful, or unfair.
It was mean of you to laugh at her mistake.
Often appears as...
- mean streak
- mean to
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To signify, show, or indicate.
What does this word mean?
Often appears as...
- mean something
- mean anything
adjective
Having little money or few possessions.
He comes from a mean background.
Often appears as...
- mean conditions
- mean life
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
The value obtained by dividing the sum of several amounts by their number; average.
The mean of 4, 5, and 9 is 6.
Usage tips
Academic
verb
To have something as a purpose or intention; to intend.
I mean to finish this project on time.
Often appears as...
- didn't mean to
- mean well
verb
To indicate or suggest.
The red sky at night means good weather tomorrow.
Often appears as...
- mean no harm
- mean a lot
adjective
Unkind, spiteful, or unfair.
It was mean of you to laugh at her mistake.
Often appears as...
- mean streak
- mean to
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To signify, show, or indicate.
What does this word mean?
Often appears as...
- mean something
- mean anything
adjective
Having little money or few possessions.
He comes from a mean background.
Often appears as...
- mean conditions
- mean life
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
The value obtained by dividing the sum of several amounts by their number; average.
The mean of 4, 5, and 9 is 6.
Usage tips
Academic
Definition 1 of 6
Pro Tip 1/2Expressing Intent
Use 'mean' to express what someone intends to do, especially emphasizing determination.
She means to win the race.
Pro Tip 2/2Apologizing
Say 'I didn't mean to' to apologize and express that an action was unintentional.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to break your vase.
Pro Tip 1/2Expressing Intent
Use 'mean' to express what someone intends to do, especially emphasizing determination.
She means to win the race.
Pro Tip 2/2Apologizing
Say 'I didn't mean to' to apologize and express that an action was unintentional.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to break your vase.
Pro Tip 1/2Expressing Intent
Use 'mean' to express what someone intends to do, especially emphasizing determination.
She means to win the race.
Pro Tip 2/2Apologizing
Say 'I didn't mean to' to apologize and express that an action was unintentional.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to break your vase.
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can't get no peace this is what you were meant to do you just got to launch your power
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Boogie at an Animal...
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Quantum theory adds a whole new wrinkle. I mean, the theory's been proven true beyond all doubt, but interpreting it is baffling, and some physicists think you can only un-baffle it if you imagine that huge numbers of parallel universes are being spawned every moment, and many of these universes would actually be very like the world we're in,
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The psychology of...
that there's no clear evidence that social media causes narcissism. Rather, it provides narcissists a means to seek social status and attention. So can narcissists improve on those negative traits? Yes! Anything that promotes honest reflection on their own behavior and caring for others,
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The youngsters could have their own pups, but for the alpha couple, that would mean more mouths to feed and less for their litter. So, the alpha couple will actively discourage last year's offspring from mating. But one of their daughters has other ideas.
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How to create a great...
the name of a sofa from ikea associative names work by reflecting imagery meaning back to their back to the brand the amazon in south america is the world's largest river therefore the earth's biggest selection of books
Video examples
The benefits of a...
chances are you belong to the world's bilingual and multilingual majority. And besides having an easier time traveling or watching movies without subtitles, knowing two or more languages means that your brain
Video examples
Rethinking infidelity...
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Video examples
Genius: Aretha Chain of...
can't get no peace this is what you were meant to do you just got to launch your power
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Protecting the nest means Gigantoraptors' young are more likely to survive.
Video examples
Dinosaurs: Just Big...
Protecting the nest means Gigantoraptors' young are more likely to survive.
Video examples
Boogie at an Animal...
Chilled water also holds more oxygen, and more oxygen means more life.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Muhammad Ali
American Boxer
Friendship... is not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything.
Quote examples
Steve Jobs
American Businessman
Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it's really how it works.
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Antoine de Saint-Exupery
French Writer
Each man must look to himself to teach him the meaning of life. It is not something discovered: it is something molded.
Quote examples
Carl Jung
Swiss Psychologist
The least of things with a meaning is worth more in life than the greatest of things without it.
Quote examples
Winston Churchill
British Statesman
You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.
Quote examples
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
German Writer
Character, in great and little things, means carrying through what you feel able to do.
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Stephen Hawking
English Physicist
Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it.
Quote examples
Henry David Thoreau
American Author
The language of friendship is not words but meanings.
Quote examples
Audrey Hepburn
British Actress
Water is life, and clean water means health.
Quote examples
Dr. Seuss
American Writer
I meant what I said and I said what I meant.
Quote examples
Muhammad Ali
American Boxer
Friendship... is not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything.
Quote examples
Steve Jobs
American Businessman
Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it's really how it works.
Quote examples
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
French Writer
Each man must look to himself to teach him the meaning of life. It is not something discovered: it is something molded.
Quote examples
Carl Jung
Swiss Psychologist
The least of things with a meaning is worth more in life than the greatest of things without it.
Quote examples
Winston Churchill
British Statesman
You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.
Quote examples
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
German Writer
Character, in great and little things, means carrying through what you feel able to do.
Quote examples
Stephen Hawking
English Physicist
Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it.
Quote examples
Henry David Thoreau
American Author
The language of friendship is not words but meanings.
Quote examples
Audrey Hepburn
British Actress
Water is life, and clean water means health.
Quote examples
Dr. Seuss
American Writer
I meant what I said and I said what I meant.
Example 1 of 10
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