mean meaning and definition

MEAN noun

Definition of mean (noun)

1. an average of n numbers computed by adding some function of the numbers and dividing by some function of n
   • synonyms: mean value

MEAN verb

Definition of mean (verb)

1. mean or intend to express or convey
   • "You never understand what I mean!"; "what do his words intend?"
   • synonyms: intend
2. have as a logical consequence
   • "The water shortage means that we have to stop taking long showers"
   • synonyms: entail, imply
3. denote or connote
   • "`maison' means `house' in French"; "An example sentence would show what this word means"
   • synonyms: intend, signify, stand for
4. 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"
   • synonyms: intend, think
5. have a specified degree of importance
   • "My ex-husband means nothing to me"; "Happiness means everything"
6. 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!"
   • synonyms: have in mind, think of
7. destine or designate for a certain purpose
   • "These flowers were meant for you"

MEAN adjective

Definition of mean (adjective)

1. approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value
   • "the average income in New England is below that of the nation"; "of average height for his age"; "the mean annual rainfall"
   • synonyms: average
2. characterized by malice
   • "a hateful thing to do"; "in a mean mood"
   • synonyms: hateful
3. 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"
   • synonyms: base, meanspirited
4. excellent
   • "famous for a mean backhand"
5. marked by poverty befitting a beggar
   • "a beggarly existence in the slums"; "a mean hut"
   • synonyms: beggarly
6. (used of persons or behavior) characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity
   • "a mean person"; "he left a miserly tip"
   • synonyms: mingy, miserly, tight
7. (used of sums of money) so small in amount as to deserve contempt
   • synonyms: beggarly
8. of no value or worth
   • "I was caught in the bastardly traffic"
   • synonyms: bastardly