mean (n.)

  1. an average of n numbers computed by adding some function of the numbers and dividing by some function of n

    [ Syn: mean value ]

    mean (adj.)

  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

    [ Syn: average ]

  2. characterized by malice; a hateful thing to do; in a mean mood

    [ Syn: 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; chokd with ambition of the meaner sort- Shakespeare; something essentially vulgar and meanspirited in politics

    [ Syn: 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

    [ Syn: beggarly ]

  6. (used of persons or behavior) characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity; a mean person; he left a miserly tip

    [ Syn: mingy , miserly , tight ]

  7. (used of sums of money) so small in amount as to deserve contempt

    [ Syn: beggarly ]

  8. of no value or worth; I was caught in the bastardly traffic

    [ Syn: bastardly ]

    mean (v.)

  1. mean or intend to express or convey; You never understand what I mean!; what do his words intend?

    [ Syn: intend ]

  2. have as a logical consequence; The water shortage means that we have to stop taking long showers

    [ Syn: entail , imply ]

  3. denote or connote; `maison means `house in French; An example sentence would show what this word means

    [ Syn: intend , signify , stand for ]

  4. have in mind as a purpose; I mean no harm; I only meant to help you; She didnt think to harm me; We thought to return early that night

    [ Syn: intend , think ]

  5. have a specified degree of importance; My ex-husband means nothing to me; Happiness means everything'

  6. intend to refer to; Im thinking of good food when I talk about France; Yes, I meant you when I complained about people who gossip!

    [ Syn: think of , have in mind ]

  7. destine or designate for a certain purpose; These flowers were meant for you'

The dictionary is based on the WordNet Electronic Lexical Database.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2011 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.