mean

21 entries found for mean. The first 10 are listed below.
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mean[1,verb] mean[2,adjective] mean[3,adjective] mean[4,noun] arithmetic mean geometric mean golden mean Greenwich mean time harmonic mean mean deviation

Main Entry: ¹mean
Pronunciation: 'mEn
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): meant /'ment/; mean·ing /'mE-ni[ng]/
Etymology: Middle English menen, from Old English m[AE]nan; akin to Old High German meinen to have in mind, Old Church Slavic meniti to mention
transitive verb
1 a : to have in the mind as a purpose : INTEND <she means to win> -- sometimes used interjectionally with I, chiefly in informal speech for emphasis <he throws, I mean, hard> or to introduce a phrase restating the point of a preceding phrase <we try to answer what we can, but I mean we're not God -- Bobbie Ann Mason> b : to design for or destine to a specified purpose or future <I was meant to teach>
2 : to serve or intend to convey, show, or indicate : SIGNIFY <a red sky means rain>
3 : to have importance to the degree of <health means everything>
4 : to direct to a particular individual
intransitive verb : to have an intended purpose <he means well>
- mean·er /'mE-n&r/ noun
- mean business : to be in earnest