mean

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verb [transitive] British English pronunciation: mean

/miːn/

present tense
I/you/we/they	mean
he/she/it	means
present participle	meaning
past tense	meant
past participle	meant

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Get It Right!

1
to have a particular meaning
The word means something different in French.
What does ‘pulchritude’ mean?
mean something by something:
Everything depends on what you mean by the word ‘free’.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
1. a.
  to communicate a particular meaning, feeling, or piece of information
  When you shake your head it usually means ‘no’.
  For most people, Paris means romance.
  His behaviour doesn’t mean that he doesn’t like you.
  take something to mean something (=understand it to have a particular meaning):
  I took their silence to mean disapproval.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
2. b.
  to be evidence that something exists
  That dark patch means that water is coming in.
  The look on her face meant only one thing – trouble.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
2
to intend something bad or harmful
mean someone something:
I know they didn’t mean our family any disrespect.
mean someone harm (=intend to harm them):
She had never meant him any real harm.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
1. a.
  to intend to do something, often something bad or wrong
  mean to do something:
  Whoops! I didn’t mean to step on your toe.
  I mean to leave that meeting with a new contract.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
2. b.
  to want someone to do something, or to want something to happen to someone
  mean someone to do something:
  It was our secret – I didn’t mean you to tell him.
  We didn’t mean you to lose your job.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
3. c.
  to say something with a particular intention
  mean something as a joke/compliment/insult:
  Don’t be offended: she meant it as a compliment.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
3
to make something necessary, or to make it happen
something means doing something:
The new agreement means accepting lower wages.
This development could mean that the lawsuit will be dropped.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
4
to refer to someone or something when you are talking, looking, pointing etc at them
No, I don’t mean her – I mean the tall woman.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean

phrases

be meant for
1. 1
  to be intended or designed for someone or something
  The bigger offices are meant for senior staff only.
  These books are not meant for primary school students.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
2. 2
  to be suitable for something
  I don’t think she’s meant to be a teacher.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
3. 3
  if two people are meant for each other, they are suitable for each other as romantic partners
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
be meant to be
if something is meant to be, it seems certain to happen, usually because it has been decided by God or other forces that people believe cannot be controlled
Oh well – it was just not meant to be.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
be meant to do something
1. 1
  to have a particular responsibility or duty
  You were meant to keep the children out of trouble.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
2. 2
  to have a particular purpose. This is sometimes used for suggesting that something does not succeed very well
  It was meant to be an apology but it only made her angry.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
(do) you mean...?
spoken
used for saying what someone else has said using different words, as a way of asking them if you have understood it correctly
You mean we do the work and you get the money?
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
how do you mean?
spoken
used for asking someone to explain what they have said
‘She wasn’t at all like I expected.’ ‘How do you mean?’
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
I know what you mean
spoken
used for telling someone that you understand their situation very well, often because you have had a similar experience
‘He’s so hard to talk to.’ ‘I know what you mean.’
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
I mean (to say)
spoken
1. 1
  used for adding a comment or explaining what you have just said
  We couldn’t live on that! I mean, it’s ridiculous.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
2. 2
  used for correcting a mistake in something you have just said
  Let’s ask Mark. I mean Marco.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
I see what you mean
spoken
used for telling someone that you understand what they are saying
‘Nobody’s going to support her if she acts like that.’ ‘I see what you mean.’
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
mean anything to someone
to be familiar to someone
Does the name ‘Chris Hill’ mean anything to you?
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
mean business
informal
to seriously intend to do what you say you will do
They’ve threatened to close us down, and I think they mean business.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
mean nothing
or not mean anything
to have no importance
After yesterday, your apologies mean nothing.
It was just one little kiss and it didn’t mean anything.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
mean something/everything
to be important/very important
She knows the children mean everything in the world to me.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
mean well
to intend something good, kind, or suitable, even though there is a bad result
I know she can be annoying but she means well.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
what do you mean?
spoken
1. 1
  used for asking someone to explain what they have said
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean
2. 2
  used for showing that you are shocked or annoyed about something that someone has told you
  What do you mean you can’t find the keys?
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of mean

Get It Right!: mean

When you want to say what something involves or what its result is, use the verb mean followed by the -ing form. Don’t use an infinitive:

✗ Being tolerant means not to be prejudiced.

✓ Being tolerant means not being prejudiced.

✗ Reversing these changes would mean to challenge the power of the government.

✓ Reversing these changes would mean challenging the power of the government.

Use mean with an infinitive when you want to say that someone intends to do something:

They intend to pour cash into the health service, but they also mean to reform it.

In this sense, mean is often used in the passive:

Taking children into care is meant to be in the interests of the children, not the state.

This is the British English definition of mean. View American English definition of mean.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

vocal fry

a speech habit in which a speaker lowers their voice at the end of a sentence

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mean

What are red words?

Thesaurus

Related dictionary definitions

phrases

be meant for

be meant to be

be meant to do something

(do) you mean...?

how do you mean?

I know what you mean

I mean (to say)

I see what you mean

mean anything to someone

mean business

mean nothing

or not mean anything

mean something/everything

mean well

what do you mean?

vocal fry

Word of the Day

glottal stop

conflict mineral