Meaning of mean In English

• 0 to express or represent something such as an idea, thought, or fact:

  • What does this word mean?

  • [ + that ] These figures mean that almost six percent of the working population is unemployed.

  • What do you mean by that remark?

  • She's kind of strange though. Do you know what I mean?

  • "They all showed up." "You mean the entire family?"

  • I want you home by midnight. And I mean midnight.

  • Give it back now! I mean it.

• 1 to have a particular result:

  • Lower costs mean lower prices.

  • [ + that ] Advances in electronics mean that the technology is already available.

  • [ + -ing verb ] If we want to catch the 7.30 train, that will mean leaving the house at 6.00.

• 2 to intend:

  • I'm sorry if I offended you - I didn't mean any harm.

  • The books with large print are meant for partially sighted readers.

  • [ + to infinitive ] I've been meaning to call you all week.

  • Do you think she meant to say 9 a.m. instead of 9 p.m.?

  • They didn't mean for her to read the letter.

  • These batteries are meant to last for a year.

  • This exercise isn't meant to be difficult.

  • We were meant to have gone away this week, but Debbie's ill so we couldn't go.

  • You are meant to rub the medicine on the affected area, not swallow it.

• 3 to have an important emotional effect on someone:

  • It wasn't a valuable picture but it meant a lot to me.

  • Possessions mean nothing to him.

• 4 not willing to give or share things, especially money:

  • He's too mean to buy her a ring.

  • My landlord's very mean with the heating - it's only on for two hours each day.

• 5 unkind or unpleasant:

  • Stop being so mean to me!

  • She just said it to be mean.

• 6 frightening and likely to become violent:

  • a mean and angry mob

  • a mean-looking youth

• 7 very good:

  • She's a mean piano player.

  • She plays a mean piano (= she plays very well).

• 8 poor, dirty, and of bad quality:

  • He was born in the mean streets of Detroit in 1945.

• 9 a mean number is an average number:

  • a mean value

  • Their mean weight was 76.4 kilos.

• 10 the result you get by adding two or more amounts together and dividing the total by the number of amounts:

  • The mean of 5, 4, 10, and 15 is 8.5.

• 11 a quality or way of doing something that is in the middle of two completely different qualities or ways of doing something:

  • We need to find a mean between test questions that are too difficult and those that are too easy.

• 12 to represent or express something intended, or to refer to someone or something:

  • "What does ’rough’ mean?" "It means ’not smooth.’"

  • [ + that clause ] These figures mean that almost 7% of the population is unemployed.

  • "Do you see that girl over there?" "Do you mean the one with short blond hair?"

• 13 to have as a result:

  • Lower costs mean higher profits.

  • [ + (that) clause ] If she doesn’t answer the phone, it means (that) she’s out in the garden.

• 14 to have the importance or value of:

  • My grandmother’s ring wasn’t valuable, but it meant a lot to me.

• 15 to say or do something intentionally; intend:

  • [ T ] I think she meant 8 o’clock, although she said 7 o’clock.

  • [ I ] I’ve been meaning to call you but I’ve been so busy I never got around to it.

  • [ T ] She means what she says.

• 16 a number that is the result of adding a group of numbers together and then dividing the result by how many numbers were in the group

• 17 unkind or not caring:

  • I felt a little mean when I said I couldn’t visit her in the hospital until Saturday.

• 18 very good:

  • She plays a mean bass fiddle.

• 19 the result you get by adding two or more amounts together and dividing the total by the number of amounts:

  • The mean of 5, 4, 10, and 15 is 8.5.

• 20 a quality or way of doing something that is in the middle of two completely different qualities or ways of doing something:

  • a mean between sth and sth This description doesn't give enough information, and this one is too long – we need to find a mean between the two.

• 21 to express or represent something such as an idea, thought, or fact:

  • What does this word mean?

  • mean sth by sth What do you mean by 'rightsizing the department'?

• 22 to have a particular result:

  • Lower costs mean lower prices.

  • mean (that) Advances in electronics mean that the technology is already available.

  • mean doing sth If we increased our workforce, that would mean finding larger premises.

• 23 a mean number is the result you get by adding two or more amounts together and dividing the total by the number of amounts:

  • The mean weight of the crates is 76.4 kilos.

  • The table above shows the mean price per dozen of large grade A eggs.

• 24 unkind:

  • be mean to sb If she's ever mean to staff, she always apologizes afterwards.

• 25 not generous:

  • be mean with sth My boss is well known for being mean with money.