What does mean mean?
Definitions for mean
minmean
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word mean.
Princeton's WordNet
mean, mean valueadjective
an average of n numbers computed by adding some function of the numbers and dividing by some function of n
average, mean(a)adjective
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"
hateful, meanadjective
characterized by malice
"a hateful thing to do"; "in a mean mood"
base, mean, meanspiritedadjective
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"
meanadjective
excellent
"famous for a mean backhand"
beggarly, meanadjective
marked by poverty befitting a beggar
"a beggarly existence in the slums"; "a mean hut"
mean, mingy, miserly, tightadjective
(used of persons or behavior) characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity
"a mean person"; "he left a miserly tip"
beggarly, meanadjective
(used of sums of money) so small in amount as to deserve contempt
bastardly, meanverb
of no value or worth
"I was caught in the bastardly traffic"
mean, intendverb
mean or intend to express or convey
"You never understand what I mean!"; "what do his words intend?"
entail, imply, meanverb
have as a logical consequence
"The water shortage means that we have to stop taking long showers"
mean, intend, signify, stand forverb
denote or connote
"`maison' means `house' in French"; "An example sentence would show what this word means"
intend, mean, thinkverb
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"
meanverb
have a specified degree of importance
"My ex-husband means nothing to me"; "Happiness means everything"
think of, have in mind, meanverb
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!"
meanverb
destine or designate for a certain purpose
"These flowers were meant for you"
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
Meanadjective
Etymology: mœne , Saxon.
She was stricken with most obstinate love to a young man but of mean parentage, in her father’s court, named Antiphilus; so mean, as that he was but the son of her nurse, and by that means, without other desert, became known of her. Philip Sidney, b. ii.
This fairest maid of fairer mind;
By fortune mean, in nature born a queen. Philip Sidney.Let pale-fac’d fear keep with the mean-born man,
And find no harbour in a royal heart. William Shakespeare, Henry VI.True hope is swift, and flies with swallow wings;
Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures, kings. William Shakespeare.The shepherd knows not thunder from a tabor,
More than I know the sound of Marcius’ tongue
From every meaner man. William Shakespeare, Coriolanus.Can you imagine I so mean could prove,
To save my life by changing of my love? Dryden.We fast not to please men, nor to promote any mean, worldly interest. George Smalridge, Sermons.
The Roman legions, and great Cæsar found
Our fathers no mean foes. Philips.I have sacrificed much of my own self-love, in preventing not only many mean things from seeing the light, but many which I thought tolerable. Alexander Pope.
Some things are good, yet in so mean a degree of goodness, that many are only not disproved nor disallowed of God for them. Richard Hooker, b. ii.
The lands be not holden of her majesty in chief, but by a mean tenure in soccage, or by knight’s service at the most. Francis Bacon, Office of Alienation.
By this extortion he suddenly grew from a mean to a mighty estate, insomuch that his ancient inheritance being not one thousand marks yearly, he became able to dispend ten thousand pounds. John Davies, on Ireland.
To peaceful Rome new laws ordain;
Call’d from his mean abode a sceptre to sustain. Dryden.He saw this gentleman, one of the properest and best-graced men that ever I saw, being of middle age and a mean stature. Philip Sidney, b. ii.
Now read with them those organick arts which enable men to discourse and write, and according to the fittest style of lofty, mean, or lowly. John Milton, on Education.
In the mean while the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. 1 Kings xviii. 45.
There is French wheat, which is bearded, and requireth the best soil, recompensing the same with a profitable plenty; and not wheat, so termed because it is unbearded, is contented with a meaner earth, and contenting with a suitable gain. Richard Carew, on Cornwall.
Meannoun
Etymology: moyen, French.
Oft ’tis seen,
Our mean securities, and our mere defects
Prove our commodities. William Shakespeare, King Lear.Temperance with golden square,
Betwixt them both can measure out a mean. William Shakespeare.There is a mean in all things, and a certain measure wherein the good and the beautiful consist, and out of which they never can depart. John Dryden, Dufresnoy.
But no authority of gods or men
Allow of any mean in poesie. Wentworth Dillon.Against her then her forces prudence joins,
And to the golden mean herself confines. John Denham.The rolling sea resounding soft,
In his big base them fitly answered,
And on the rock the waves breaking aloft,
A solemn mean unto them measured. Fairy Queen.But sith this wretched woman overcome,
Of anguish rather than of crime hath been,
Reserve her cause to her eternal doom,
And in the mean vouchsafe her honourable tomb. Fairy Queen.Pamela’s noble heart would needs gratefully make known the valiant mean of her safety. Philip Sidney, b. i.
As long as that which Christians did was good, and no way subject to just reproof, their virtuous conversation was a mean to work the Heathens conversion unto Christ. Richard Hooker.
It is no excuse unto him who, being drunk, committeth incest, and alledgeth that his wits were not his own; in as much as himself might have chosen whether his wits should by that mean have been taken from him. Richard Hooker, b. i.
He tempering goodly well
Their contrary dislikes with loved means,
Did place them all in order, and compell
To keep themselves within their sundry reigns,
Together link’d with adamantine chains. Edmund Spenser.I’ll devise a mean to draw the Moor
Out of the way, that your converse and business
May be more free. William Shakespeare, Othello.No place will please me so, no mean of death,
As here by Cæsar and by you cut off. William Shakespeare.Nature is made better by no mean,
But nature makes that mean; so over that art
Which, you say, adds to nature, is an art
That nature makes. William Shakespeare, Winter’s Tale.Your doctrine leads them to look on this end as essential, and on the means as indifferent. Henry St. John Bolingbroke, to Swift.
The more base art thou,
To make such means for her as thou hast done,
And leave her on such slight conditions. William Shakespeare.By this means he had them the more at vantage, being tired and harrassed with a long march. Francis Bacon, Henry III.
Because he wanted means to perform any great action, he made means to return the sooner. John Davies, on Ireland.
Strong was their plot,
Their parties great, means good, the season fit,
Their practice close, their faith suspected not. Daniel.By this means not only many helpless persons will be provided for, but a generation will be bred up not perverted by any other hopes. Thomas Sprat, Sermons.
Who is there that hath the leisure and means to collect all the proofs concerning most of the opinions he has, so as safely to conclude that he hath a clear and full view. John Locke.
A good character, when established, should not be rested in as an end, but only employed as a means of doing still farther good. Francis Atterbury, Sermons.
It renders us careless of approving ourselves to God by religious duties, and, by that means, securing the continuance of his goodness. Francis Atterbury, Sermons.
The wine on this side of the lake is by no means so good as that on the other. Joseph Addison, on Italy.
Your means are very slender, and your waste is great. William Shakespeare, Henry IV.
Rust sword; cool blushes; and, parolles, live
Safest in shame! being fool’d, by fool’ry thrive;
There’s place and means for every man alive. William Shakespeare.For competence of life I will allow you,
That lack of means enforce you not to evil;
And, as we hear you do reform yourselves,
Give you advancement. William Shakespeare, Henry IV.Essex did not build or adorn any house; the queen perchance spending his time, and himself his means. Henry Wotton.
Mean-while
The world shall burn, and from her ashes spring
New heav’n and earth. John Milton, Par. Lost, b. iii.Mean-time the rapid heav’ns rowl’d down the light,
And on the shaded ocean rush’d the night. Dryden.Mean-time her warlike brother on the seas,
His waving streamers to the winds displays. Dryden.Mean time, in shades of night Æneas lies;
Care seiz’d his soul, and sleep forsook his eyes. Dryden.Mean-while I’ll draw up my Numidian troops,
And, as I see occasion, favour thee. Joseph Addison, Cato.The Roman legions were all recalled to help their country against the Goths; mean-time the Britons, left to shift for themselves, and daily harrassed by cruel inroads from the Picts, were forced to call in the Saxons for their defence. Jonathan Swift.
To Meanverb
Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to save much people alive. Gen. l. 20.
And life more perfect have attain’d than fate
Meant me, by venturing higher than my lot. John Milton.I practis’d it to make you taste your cheer
With double pleasure, first prepar’d by fear:
So loyal subjects often seize their prince,
Yet mean his sacred person not the least offence. Dryden.I more easily forsake an argument on which I could delight to dwell; I mean your judgment in your choice of friends. John Dryden, Aurengzebe.
Whatever was meant by them, it could not be that Cain, as elder, had a natural dominion over Abel. John Locke.
To Meanverb
To have in the mind; to intend; to purpose.
Etymology: meenen, Dutch.
When your children shall say, What mean you by this service? ye shall say, It is the passover. Exod. xii. 26.
These delights if thou canst give,
Mirth, with thee I mean to live. John Milton.
Wikipedia
Mean
There are several kinds of mean in mathematics, especially in statistics. Each mean serves to summarize a given group of data, often to better understand the overall value (magnitude and sign) of a given data set. For a data set, the arithmetic mean, also known as "arithmetic average", is a measure of central tendency of a finite set of numbers: specifically, the sum of the values divided by the number of values. The arithmetic mean of a set of numbers x1, x2, ..., xn is typically denoted using an overhead bar, x ¯ {\displaystyle {\bar {x}}} . If the data set were based on a series of observations obtained by sampling from a statistical population, the arithmetic mean is the sample mean ( x ¯ {\displaystyle {\bar {x}}} ) to distinguish it from the mean, or expected value, of the underlying distribution, the population mean (denoted μ {\displaystyle \mu } or μ x {\displaystyle \mu _{x}} ).Outside probability and statistics, a wide range of other notions of mean are often used in geometry and mathematical analysis; examples are given below.
ChatGPT
mean
In mathematics and statistics, the mean refers to the average of a set of numbers or values. It is calculated by adding up all the values in the set and then dividing the sum by the number of values. The mean is commonly used to understand the central tendency or average value of a data set.
Webster Dictionary
Meanverb
to have in the mind, as a purpose, intention, etc.; to intend; to purpose; to design; as, what do you mean to do ?
Meanverb
to signify; to indicate; to import; to denote
Meanverb
to have a purpose or intention
Mean
destitute of distinction or eminence; common; low; vulgar; humble
Mean
wanting dignity of mind; low-minded; base; destitute of honor; spiritless; as, a mean motive
Mean
of little value or account; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable
Mean
of poor quality; as, mean fare
Mean
penurious; stingy; close-fisted; illiberal; as, mean hospitality
Meanadjective
occupying a middle position; middle; being about midway between extremes
Meanadjective
intermediate in excellence of any kind
Meanadjective
average; having an intermediate value between two extremes, or between the several successive values of a variable quantity during one cycle of variation; as, mean distance; mean motion; mean solar day
Meannoun
that which is mean, or intermediate, between two extremes of place, time, or number; the middle point or place; middle rate or degree; mediocrity; medium; absence of extremes or excess; moderation; measure
Meannoun
a quantity having an intermediate value between several others, from which it is derived, and of which it expresses the resultant value; usually, unless otherwise specified, it is the simple average, formed by adding the quantities together and dividing by their number, which is called an arithmetical mean. A geometrical mean is the square root of the product of the quantities
Meannoun
that through which, or by the help of which, an end is attained; something tending to an object desired; intermediate agency or measure; necessary condition or coagent; instrument
Meannoun
hence: Resources; property, revenue, or the like, considered as the condition of easy livelihood, or an instrumentality at command for effecting any purpose; disposable force or substance
Meannoun
a part, whether alto or tenor, intermediate between the soprano and base; a middle part
Meannoun
meantime; meanwhile
Meannoun
a mediator; a go-between
Etymology: [OE. menen, AS. mnan to recite, tell, intend, wish; akin to OS. mnian to have in mind, mean, D. meenen, G. meinen, OHG. meinan, Icel. meina, Sw. mena, Dan. mene, and to E. mind. 104. See Mind, and cf. Moan.]
Wikidata
Mean
In mathematics, mean has several different definitions depending on the context. In probability and statistics, mean and expected value are used synonymously to refer to one measure of the central tendency either of a probability distribution or of the random variable characterized by that distribution. In the case of a discrete probability distribution of a random variable X, the mean is equal to the sum over every possible value weighted by the probability of that value; that is, it is computed by taking the product of each possible value x of X and its probability P(x), and then adding all these products together, giving . An analogous formula applies to the case of a continuous probability distribution. Not every probability distribution has a defined mean; see the Cauchy distribution for an example. Moreover, for some distributions the mean is infinite: for example, when the probability of the value is for n = 1, 2, 3, .... For a data set, the terms arithmetic mean, mathematical expectation, and sometimes average are used synonymously to refer to a central value of a discrete set of numbers: specifically, the sum of the values divided by the number of values. The arithmetic mean of a set of numbers x1, x2, ..., xn is typically denoted by, pronounced "x bar". If the data set were based on a series of observations obtained by sampling from a statistical population, the arithmetic mean is termed the sample mean to distinguish it from the population mean.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Mean
mēn, adj. low in rank or birth: base: sordid: low in worth or estimation: of little value or importance: poor, humble: despicable.—adj. Mean′-born, of humble origin.—adv. Mean′ly.—n. Mean′ness, state or quality of being mean: want of nobility or excellence: a low action.—adj. Mean′-spir′ited, having a mean spirit, base.—n. Mean′-spir′itedness. [A.S. mǽne, wicked, from mán, wickedness; perh. conn. with A.S. gemǽne, Ger. gemein, common.]
Mean
mēn, adj. middle: coming between two others in size, degree, quantity, time, &c.: average: moderate.—n. the middle point, quantity, value, or degree: (math.) a term interpolated between two terms of a series, and consequently intermediate in magnitude: (mus.) a middle voice or voice-part, as the tenor or alto, the second or third string in a viol: instrument or medium: (pl.) that by which anything is caused or brought to pass: income: estate: instrument.—n. Mean′-time, the interval between two given times.—advs. Mean′time, Mean′while, in the intervening time.—Means of grace, divine ordinances, by which divine grace reaches the hearts of men—word and sacraments.—Arithmetical mean, the average obtained by adding several quantities together and dividing the sum by their number; Harmonic mean, the reciprocal of the arithmetical mean of the reciprocals of the quantities concerned; Geometric mean, the mean obtained by multiplying two quantities together and extracting the square root of the product; Golden mean, the middle course between two extremes: a wise moderation; Quadratic mean, the square root of the arithmetical mean of the squares of the given quantities.—By all means, certainly; By any means, in any way; By no means, certainly not.—In the mean (Spens.), in the meantime. [O. Fr. meien (Fr. moyen)—L. medianus, enlarged form of medius.]
Mean
mēn, v.t. to have in the mind or thoughts: to intend, to purpose: to signify.—v.i. to have in the mind: to have meaning or disposition:—pr.p. mean′ing; pa.t. and pa.p. meant (ment).—n. Mean′ing, that which is in the mind or thoughts: signification: the sense intended: purpose.—adj. significant.—adj. Mean′ingless, without meaning.—adv. Mean′ingly. [A.S. mǽnan; Ger. meinen, to think.]
Mean
mēn, v.i. (Shak.) to lament, to moan.
Dictionary of Nautical Terms
mean
As a general term implies the medium, but a mean of bad observations can never make a good one.
Suggested Resources
mean
The mean symbol -- In this Symbols.com article you will learn about the meaning of the mean symbol and its characteristic.
MEAN
What does MEAN stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the MEAN acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.
Surnames Frequency by Census Records
MEAN
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Mean is ranked #55619 in terms of the most common surnames in America.
The Mean surname appeared 369 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 would have the surname Mean.
76.1% or 281 total occurrences were Asian.
10.5% or 39 total occurrences were White.
7% or 26 total occurrences were Black.
4.3% or 16 total occurrences were of two or more races.
Matched Categories
British National Corpus
Spoken Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'mean' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #484
Written Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'mean' in Written Corpus Frequency: #78
Verbs Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'mean' in Verbs Frequency: #27
Adjectives Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'mean' in Adjectives Frequency: #487
Anagrams for mean »
enam
name
mane
nema
amen
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of mean in Chaldean Numerology is: 6
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of mean in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6
Examples of mean in a Sentence
If our ideals of Atlantic interdependence are to mean anything in practice.
A fact that a bond does haven't a CAC doesn't automatically mean it will be messy like Argentina, but without CAC it can be more difficult if it is for a single issue, as someone can easily build up a big enough stake to block a restructuring.
I think it's tough for everybody coming here, but, yeah, this first hurdle, I won a match again. I think it's going to give me a bit of confidence. I just thought, like, I will fight till the end of this match, we will see how it goes. Coco, she's a great player. I mean, she's 16 years old and she's playing like that. I wish I would play like that at 16.
High-tech mining will mean fewer job opportunities for labourers and no job guarantee for existing employees, we strongly protest this, and have already taken up the issue with the government. They will not dare do anything if there is a strong protest.
The other girl had a scar, but on the eyebrow, and I have one on my nose. I mean all this was stirred up over that, the judge said, 'No, it's her,' and that was that.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
References
Translations for mean
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- خسيس, لئيم, عنى, تعنيArabic
- significar, voler dir, pretendre, mitjana, migCatalan, Valencian
- znamenat, plánovat, chtít, aritmetický průměr, prostředekCzech
- betyde, mene, middelDanish
- mittelmäßig, gemein, böse, bedeuten, beabsichtigen, meinen, Mittel, Mittel-German
- άγριος, άθλιος, κακός, μέσος όρος, μέσοςGreek
- kruela, malafabla, malbonkvalita, voli diri, signifi, intenci, rimedo, mezaEsperanto
- malo, malvado, tacaño, desconsiderado, inferior, formidable, mezquino, cruel, producir, decir en serio, pretender, significar, querer decir, proponer, resultar, intentar, medio, media, recurso, reclamar, apiadarse, compadecerse, lamentarse, significaráSpanish
- anker, gaiztoBasque
- میانهPersian
- ilkeä, tarkoittaa, tietää, merkitä, aikoa, väline, keskiarvo, tapa, keino, keski-Finnish
- cruel, inférieur, méchant, inférieure, signifier, vouloir dire, avoir l'intention, moyenne, moyenFrench
- ciallaich, meadhan, cuibheas, cuibheasachdScottish Gaelic
- התכוון, אמצעיHebrew
- jelentHungarian
- միջինArmenian
- significar, ressource, media, medio, medieInterlingua
- rata-rataIndonesian
- meina, ætla, þýða, meðaltal, hreint meðaltal, innliður, milliliður, venjulegt meðaltalIcelandic
- inferiore, eccellente, violento, formidabile, insignificante, meschino, favoloso, ignobile, maligno, potente, taccagno, avaro, gretto, malevolo, fantastico, furioso, sgarbato, mediocre, spilorcio, cattivo, voler dire, intendere, avere l'intenzione, significare, volere, portare, mezzo, media, medioItalian
- 卑劣, 悪い, 腹黒い, 汚い, 劣る, 卑しい, 意地悪, 厄介, するつもり, 意味, 意図, 平均値, 平均, 平均的Japanese
- 의미하다Korean
- ناههموارKurdish
- volo, significo, indicō, habeo in animoLatin
- reikštiLithuanian
- nekrietns, zemisksLatvian
- minMalay
- gemeen, boosaardig, minderwaardig, bedoelen, betekenen, willen, menen, willen zeggen, van plan zijn, middel, gemiddelde, gemiddeldDutch
- betyNorwegian
- chcieć, znaczyćPolish
- inferior, maldoso, formidável, terrível, excelente, ruim, mesquinho, tacanho, cruel, avarento, mau, ótimo, tencionar, falar sério, representar, significar, querer dizer, indicar, querer, pretender, média, alto, passo, recurso, meio, lamentar, compadecer-se, apiedar-se, médio, mediano, reclamarPortuguese
- a vrea să spună, indica, gândi, vrea, a semnifica, avea intenția, am convingerea, însemna, mediu, medie, mijlocRomanian
- зло́бный, злой, по́длый, означа́ть, думать, име́ть в виду́, зна́чить, намерева́ться, собира́ться, сре́днее, сре́дство, сре́днийRussian
- elak, usel, gemen, innebära, mena, betyda, syfta på, tänka, genomsnitt, medelvärde, genomsnittlig, medel-Swedish
- viomboSwahili
- నాణ్యత లేని, కారణమగుట, భయంకరమైన, దురుసు, కష్ట సాధ్యము, స్వార్ధము, శక్తివంతమైన, పాడుచేయు, అనుకోవడము, అనుకొనుట, ఫలితము, అర్ధం ఏమిటి, పధకము వేయు, పూర్తి అయిందిTelugu
- หมายความ, ตั้งใจ, หมายถึงThai
- cimri, yolTurkish
- nghĩa làVietnamese
- 意味著Chinese
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