Meaning of 'mean'

adjective

of no value or worth

Synonyms: bastardly

adjective

used of sums of money, so small in amount as to deserve contempt

Example: "That is one mean stack of dough you have there."

Synonyms: beggarly

adjective

(used of persons or behavior) characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity

Example: "a mean person"

Synonyms: tight mingy miserly

adjective

characterized by malice

Synonyms: hateful

adjective

having or showing an ignoble lack of honor or morality

Synonyms: base meanspirited

adjective

marked by poverty befitting a beggar

Synonyms: beggarly

adjective

excellent

Example: "famous for a mean backhand"

Synonyms: top-flight top-hole topping

noun

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

Synonyms: mean value

verb

have in mind as a purpose

Example: "I mean no harm"

Synonyms: think intend

verb

destine or designate for a certain purpose

Example: "These flowers were meant for you"

verb

intend to refer to

Synonyms: think of have in mind

verb

denote or connote

Example: "`maison' means `house' in French"

Synonyms: stand for intend signify

verb

mean or intend to express or convey

Example: "You never understand what I mean!"

Synonyms: intend

verb

have as a logical consequence

Example: "The water shortage means that we have to stop taking long showers"

Synonyms: entail

verb

have a specified degree of importance

Example: "My ex-husband means nothing to me"

adjective

approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value

Synonyms: average