Meaning of means In English

• 0 a method or way of doing something:

  • They had no means of communication.

  • We need to find some other means of transportation.

  • We need to use every means at our disposal.

  • She tried to explain by means of sign language.

  • There is no means of tracing the debt at all.

  • The family had no means of support (= way of getting money).

• 1 money, for example from an income, that allows you to buy things:

  • [ + to infinitive ] He has the means to buy half the houses in the street if he wanted to.

• 2 a method or way of doing something:

  • They had no means of letting him know that the flight was canceled.

  • Students are selected for scholarships by means of an open, national competition.

• 3 money or income that allows you to buy things or services:

  • [ + to infinitive ] They simply don’t have the means to send their children to private schools.

• 4 a method or way of doing something:

  • We must use every means at our disposal.

  • means of sth We need to find some other means of transportation.

  • means of doing sth There is no means of tracing the debt at all.

  • They saw the redundancies as a means to an end.

• 5 money, for example from an income, that allows you to buy things:

  • the means to do sth With over $160 million of cash and virtually no debt, the company has the means to expand.

• 6 if you are living beyond your means, you are spending more money than you earn:

  • Too many people live beyond their means.

• 7 used to say that it does not matter if the methods used to achieve something are wrong, dishonest, etc. as long as you get the result you want :

  • I'm sorry, but reducing the wages of the lowest-paid in order to save money is just not acceptable - the means don't justify the end.

• 8 using something:

  • The device is attached to the patient's arm by means of straps.