Английское слово «mean» относится к числу самых противоречивых, поскольку у него много значений, и притом, абсолютно разных. К тому же, слово «mean» может выполнять функции разных частей речи.
В качестве существительного mean означает «середина», «средняя величина, среднее число»:
- A man should know where the golden (happy) mean is – человек должен знать где золотая середина
- The mean of 3, 5 and 7 is 5 — среднее между 3, 5 и 7 равно 5
Прилагательное mean
В качестве прилагательного mean имеет множество интересных значений, — судите сами.
1. Для обозначения средней величины, например: 
2. Прилагательное mean может означать «плохой, посредственный», и это, в основном, относится к способностям человека:
- Your child has mean abilities – у вашего ребенка посредственные способности
- He can be called a mean orator – его можно назвать плохим оратором
- My father is no mean scholar – мой отец большой учёный
- It is clear to the meanest intelligence — это даже дураку ясно
- I have the meanest opinion of you – я о вас самого дурного мнения
- She has no mean opinion of herself — она о себе высокого мнения
3. Если человек скуп или редкий скряга, о нем скажут:
- He is mean about money — он скуп в денежных делах
4. О скудной пище или убогом жилье, нищенском, бедном одеянии и т.д. мы скажем :
- Today we have mean fare — сегодня у нас скудная пища
- Our house has mean appearance – у нашего дома жалкий /убогий вид
5. Слово mean просто незаменимо, если нужно подчеркнуть, что кто-либо является низким, подлым, нечестным, презренным человеком:
- I’m not going to listen to your mean remarks – я не собираюсь слушать твои подлые замечания
- I didn’t expect you to be mean – я не ожидал, что ты поступишь так подло/нечестно.
- It is mean of you — это подло с вашей стороны
- One can expect nothing good of such a mean creature like you – от такого низкого существа, как ты, нельзя ожидать ничего хорошего.
6. Прилагательное mean указывает на низкое происхождение:
- She wanted to forget about her mean birth – она хотела забыть о своем низком происхождении.
- You treat me as if I were a man of the meaner sort – ты обращаешься со мной как будто я человек низшего сорта.
7. В разговорном английском «mean» означает «придирчивый, мелочный, злобный, неприветливый».
- Why are you so mean to me? – почему вы так плохо ко мне относитесь.
Между прочим, «злая собака» также будет «mean dog».
8. Поразительно, как mean может одновременно означать и плохое, и хорошее, относиться не только к подлому человеку, но и к совестливому и смущающемуся:
- Jane feels mean in your presence – Джейн чувствует себя неловко в вашем присутствии.
- You make me feel rather mean – вы несколько смущаете меня.
Глагол mean (meant)
В качестве глагола mean также имеет значения, просто необходимые нам в разговорной речи — “иметь в виду, намереваться, подразумевать, иметь значение”:
- I mean to travel around the world — я намереваюсь путешествовать вокруг света.
- She means to come — она намеревается прийти
- Does he mean to visit us? – он намеревается навестить нас?
- I mean well to you – у меня добрые намерения в отношении вас
- What do you mean? — что вы имеете в виду?
- What exactly do you mean? — что вы, собственно говоря, имеете в виду?
- You don’t mean it! — вы шутите! неужели?!
- I mean it! — я серьёзно говорю! я не шучу!
- Tom meant this present for Susan – Том приготовил (предназначил) этот подарок Сьюзан
- This flower is meant for you – этот цветок (предназначается) для вас
- This hint was meant for her – этот намек относился к ней.
- this word means … — это слово значит …
- What does all this mean? — что всё это значит?
- Your advice means nothing to me – ваш совет ничего для меня не значит.
mean
intend: What do you mean?; signify, indicate, imply; malicious: a mean bully
Not to be confused with:
mien – a person’s look or bearing: a woman of regal mien
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
mean 1
(mēn)
v. meant (mĕnt), mean·ing, means
v.tr.
1.
a. To be used to convey; denote: «‘The question is,’ said Alice, ‘whether you can make words mean so many different things'» (Lewis Carroll).
b. To act as a symbol of; signify or represent: In this poem, the budding flower means youth.
2. To intend to convey or indicate: «No one means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous» (Henry Adams).
3. To have as a purpose or an intention; intend: I meant to go running this morning, but I overslept.
4. To design, intend, or destine for a certain purpose or end: a building that was meant for storage; a student who was meant to be a scientist.
5. To have as a consequence; bring about: Friction means heat.
6. To have the importance or value of: The opinions of the critics meant nothing to him. She meant so much to me.
v.intr.
To have intentions of a specified kind; be disposed: They mean well but lack tact.
Idiom:
mean business Informal
To be in earnest.
mean 2
(mēn)
adj. mean·er, mean·est
1.
a. Lacking in kindness; unkind: The teacher was not being mean in asking you to be quiet.
b. Cruel, spiteful, or malicious: a mean boy who liked to make fun of others.
c. Expressing spite or malice: gave me a mean look.
d. Tending toward or characterized by cruelty or violence: mean streets.
e. Extremely unpleasant or disagreeable: the meanest storm in years.
2. Ignoble; base: a mean motive. See Synonyms at base2.
3. Miserly; stingy: mean with money.
4.
a. Low in value, rank, or social status: «I preferred the condition of the meanest reptile to my own» (Frederick Douglass).
b. Common or poor in appearance; shabby: «The rowhouses had been darkened by the rain and looked meaner and grimmer than ever» (Anne Tyler).
5. Slang
a. Hard to cope with; difficult or troublesome: He throws a mean fast ball.
b. Excellent; skillful: She plays a mean game of bridge.
mean′ness n.
mean 3
(mēn)
n.
1. Something having a position, quality, or condition midway between extremes; a medium.
2. Mathematics
a. A number that typifies a set of numbers, such as a geometric mean or an arithmetic mean.
b. The average value of a set of numbers.
3. Logic The middle term in a syllogism.
4. means(used with a sing. or pl. verb) A method, a course of action, or an instrument by which an act can be accomplished or an end achieved.
5. means(used with a pl. verb)
a. Money, property, or other wealth: You ought to live within your means.
b. Great wealth: a woman of means.
adj.
1. Occupying a middle or intermediate position between two extremes.
2. Intermediate in size, extent, quality, time, or degree; medium.
Idioms:
by all means
Without fail; certainly.
by any means
In any way possible; to any extent: not by any means an easy opponent.
by means of
With the use of; owing to: They succeeded by means of patience and sacrifice.
by no means
In no sense; certainly not: This remark by no means should be taken lightly.
[Middle English mene, middle, from Old French meien, from Latin mediānus, from medius; see medhyo- in Indo-European roots.]
Usage Note: In the sense of «financial resources» means takes a plural verb: His means are more than adequate. In the sense of «a way to an end,» means may be treated as a singular or plural. It is singular when referring to a particular strategy or method: The best means of securing the cooperation of the builders is to appeal to their self-interest. It is plural when it refers to a group of strategies or methods: The most effective means for dealing with the drug problem have often been those suggested by the affected communities. · Means is most often followed by of: a means of noise reduction. But for, to, and toward are also used: a means for transmitting sound; a means to an end; a means toward achieving equality.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
mean
(miːn)
vb (mainly tr) , means, meaning or meant
1. (may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to intend to convey or express
2. (may take a clause as object or an infinitive) intend: she didn’t mean to hurt it.
3. (may take a clause as object) to say or do in all seriousness: the boss means what he says about strikes.
4. (often foll by: for) to destine or design (for a certain person or purpose): she was meant for greater things.
5. (may take a clause as object) to denote or connote; signify; represent: examples help show exactly what a word means.
6. (may take a clause as object) to produce; cause: the weather will mean long traffic delays.
7. (may take a clause as object) to foretell; portend: those dark clouds mean rain.
8. to have the importance of: money means nothing to him.
9. (intr) to have the intention of behaving or acting (esp in the phrases mean well or mean ill)
10. mean business to be in earnest
[Old English mænan; compare Old Saxon mēnian to intend, Dutch meenen]
Usage: In standard English, mean should not be followed by for when expressing intention: I didn’t mean this to happen (not I didn’t mean for this to happen)
mean
(miːn)
adj
1. chiefly Brit miserly, ungenerous, or petty
2. humble, obscure, or lowly: he rose from mean origins to high office.
3. despicable, ignoble, or callous: a mean action.
4. poor or shabby: mean clothing; a mean abode.
5. informal chiefly US and Canadian bad-tempered; vicious
6. informal ashamed: he felt mean about not letting the children go to the zoo.
7. informal chiefly US unwell; in low spirits
8. slang excellent; skilful: he plays a mean trombone.
9. no mean
a. of high quality: no mean performer.
b. difficult: no mean feat.
[C12: from Old English gemǣne common; related to Old High German gimeini, Latin communis common, at first with no pejorative sense]
ˈmeanly adv
ˈmeanness n
mean
(miːn)
n
1. the middle point, state, or course between limits or extremes
2. moderation
3. (Mathematics) maths
a. the second and third terms of a proportion, as b and c in a/b = c/d
4. (Statistics) statistics a statistic obtained by multiplying each possible value of a variable by its probability and then taking the sum or integral over the range of the variable
adj
5. intermediate or medium in size, quantity, etc
6. occurring halfway between extremes or limits; average
[C14: via Anglo-Norman from Old French moien, from Late Latin mediānus median]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
mean1
(min)
v. meant, mean•ing. v.t.
1. to have in mind as one’s purpose or intention; intend.
2. to intend for a particular destiny: They were meant for each other.
3. to intend to express or indicate: What do you mean by “perfect” ?
4. to have as its sense or signification; signify.
5. to bring, cause, or produce as a result: Prosperity means peace.
6. to have the value of: Money means everything to them.
v.i.
7. to have specified intentions: We meant well.
[before 900; Middle English menen, Old English mǣnan, c. Old Frisian mēna, Old Saxon mēnian, Old High German meinen]
mean2
(min)
adj. -er, -est.
1. uncharitable; malicious: a mean remark.
2. small-minded; ignoble: mean motives.
3. stingy; miserly.
4. inferior in quality or character.
5. low in status: mean servitors.
6. bad-tempered: a mean horse.
7. excellent; topnotch: plays a mean game of tennis.
[before 900; variant of imene, Old English gemǣne common, inferior, c. Old Frisian mēne, Old High German gimeini, Gothic gamains; compare common]
mean′ness, n.
mean3
(min)
n.
1. Usu., means. (used with a sing. or pl. v.) an agency, instrument, or method used to attain an end.
2. means,
a. available resources, esp. money.
b. considerable financial resources: a person of means.
3. something midway between two extremes.
4.
a. a quantity having a value intermediate between the values of other quantities; an average, esp. the arithmetic mean.
b. either the second or third term in a proportion of four terms.
5. the middle term in a syllogism.
adj.
6. occupying a middle position or intermediate place.
Idioms:
1. by all means, certainly.
2. by any means, in any way; at all.
3. by means of, by the agency of; through.
4. by no means, not at all.
[1300–50; Middle English mene < Anglo-French, Old French meen, variant of meien < Latin mediānus; see median]
Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
mean
(mēn)
1. A number or quantity having a value that is intermediate between other numbers or quantities, especially an arithmetic mean or average. See more at arithmetic mean.
2. Either the second or third term of a proportion of four terms. In the proportion 2/3 = 4/6 , the means are 3 and 4. Compare extreme.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
mean
The past tense and -ed participle of the verb mean is meant /ment/.
You use mean when you are talking or asking about the meaning of a word or expression.
What does ‘imperialism’ mean?
‘Pandemonium’ means ‘the place of all devils’.
Be Careful!
You must use the auxiliary verb does in questions like these. Don’t say, for example, ‘What means ‘imperialism’?‘
You can use mean with an -ing form to say what an attitude or type of behaviour involves.
Healthy living means being physically and mentally healthy.
I’ve got to do the right thing, even if it means taking a risk.
What someone means is what they are referring to or intend to say.
That friend of Sami’s was there. Do you know the one I mean?
I thought you meant that you wanted some more to eat.
Be Careful!
Don’t use ‘mean’ to talk about what people think or believe. Don’t say, for example, ‘Most people mean he should resign‘. Say ‘Most people think he should resign’.
I think a woman has as much right to work as a man.
Most scientists believe that climate change is caused by human activity.
In conversation, you can use ‘I mean‘ to explain or correct something that you have just said.
So what happens now? With your job, I mean.
I don’t want to go. I mean, I want to, but I can’t.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
mean
Past participle: meant
Gerund: meaning
| Imperative |
|---|
| mean |
| mean |
| Present |
|---|
| I mean |
| you mean |
| he/she/it means |
| we mean |
| you mean |
| they mean |
| Preterite |
|---|
| I meant |
| you meant |
| he/she/it meant |
| we meant |
| you meant |
| they meant |
| Present Continuous |
|---|
| I am meaning |
| you are meaning |
| he/she/it is meaning |
| we are meaning |
| you are meaning |
| they are meaning |
| Present Perfect |
|---|
| I have meant |
| you have meant |
| he/she/it has meant |
| we have meant |
| you have meant |
| they have meant |
| Past Continuous |
|---|
| I was meaning |
| you were meaning |
| he/she/it was meaning |
| we were meaning |
| you were meaning |
| they were meaning |
| Past Perfect |
|---|
| I had meant |
| you had meant |
| he/she/it had meant |
| we had meant |
| you had meant |
| they had meant |
| Future |
|---|
| I will mean |
| you will mean |
| he/she/it will mean |
| we will mean |
| you will mean |
| they will mean |
| Future Perfect |
|---|
| I will have meant |
| you will have meant |
| he/she/it will have meant |
| we will have meant |
| you will have meant |
| they will have meant |
| Future Continuous |
|---|
| I will be meaning |
| you will be meaning |
| he/she/it will be meaning |
| we will be meaning |
| you will be meaning |
| they will be meaning |
| Present Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I have been meaning |
| you have been meaning |
| he/she/it has been meaning |
| we have been meaning |
| you have been meaning |
| they have been meaning |
| Future Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I will have been meaning |
| you will have been meaning |
| he/she/it will have been meaning |
| we will have been meaning |
| you will have been meaning |
| they will have been meaning |
| Past Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I had been meaning |
| you had been meaning |
| he/she/it had been meaning |
| we had been meaning |
| you had been meaning |
| they had been meaning |
| Conditional |
|---|
| I would mean |
| you would mean |
| he/she/it would mean |
| we would mean |
| you would mean |
| they would mean |
| Past Conditional |
|---|
| I would have meant |
| you would have meant |
| he/she/it would have meant |
| we would have meant |
| you would have meant |
| they would have meant |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
| Noun | 1. | mean — an average of n numbers computed by adding some function of the numbers and dividing by some function of n
mean value statistics — a branch of applied mathematics concerned with the collection and interpretation of quantitative data and the use of probability theory to estimate population parameters average, norm — a statistic describing the location of a distribution; «it set the norm for American homes» arithmetic mean, expected value, first moment, expectation — the sum of the values of a random variable divided by the number of values geometric mean — the mean of n numbers expressed as the n-th root of their product harmonic mean — the mean of n numbers expressed as the reciprocal of the arithmetic mean of the reciprocals of the numbers |
| Verb | 1. | mean — mean or intend to express or convey; «You never understand what I mean!»; «what do his words intend?»
intend stand for, symbolize, typify, symbolise, represent — express indirectly by an image, form, or model; be a symbol; «What does the Statue of Liberty symbolize?» convey — make known; pass on, of information; «She conveyed the message to me» signify — convey or express a meaning; «These words mean nothing to me!»; «What does his strange behavior signify?» spell, import — indicate or signify; «I’m afraid this spells trouble!» aim — direct (a remark) toward an intended goal; «She wanted to aim a pun» aim, drive, get — move into a desired direction of discourse; «What are you driving at?» |
| 2. | mean — have as a logical consequence; «The water shortage means that we have to stop taking long showers»
entail, imply necessitate — cause to be a concomitant |
|
| 3. | mean — denote or connote; «`maison’ means `house’ in French»; «An example sentence would show what this word means»
signify, stand for, intend denote, refer — have as a meaning; «`multi-‘ denotes `many’ « signify — convey or express a meaning; «These words mean nothing to me!»; «What does his strange behavior signify?» |
|
| 4. |  mean — 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»
intend, think design — intend or have as a purpose; «She designed to go far in the world of business» be after, plan — have the will and intention to carry out some action; «He plans to be in graduate school next year»; «The rebels had planned turmoil and confusion» purpose, purport, aim, propose — propose or intend; «I aim to arrive at noon» |
|
| 5. | mean — have a specified degree of importance; «My ex-husband means nothing to me»; «Happiness means everything» | |
| 6. | mean — 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!»
have in mind, think of associate, colligate, link, relate, tie in, connect, link up — make a logical or causal connection; «I cannot connect these two pieces of evidence in my mind»; «colligate these facts»; «I cannot relate these events at all» cite, mention, refer, advert, name, bring up — make reference to; «His name was mentioned in connection with the invention» |
|
| 7. | mean — destine or designate for a certain purpose; «These flowers were meant for you»
destine, intend, designate, specify — design or destine; «She was intended to become the director» |
|
| Adj. | 1. |  mean — 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»
average statistics — a branch of applied mathematics concerned with the collection and interpretation of quantitative data and the use of probability theory to estimate population parameters normal — conforming with or constituting a norm or standard or level or type or social norm; not abnormal; «serve wine at normal room temperature»; «normal diplomatic relations»; «normal working hours»; «normal word order»; «normal curiosity»; «the normal course of events» |
| 2. |  mean — characterized by malice; «a hateful thing to do»; «in a mean mood»
hateful nasty, awful — offensive or even (of persons) malicious; «in a nasty mood»; «a nasty accident»; «a nasty shock»; «a nasty smell»; «a nasty trick to pull»; «Will he say nasty things at my funeral?»- Ezra Pound |
|
| 3. |  mean — 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»
meanspirited, base ignoble — completely lacking nobility in character or quality or purpose; «something cowardly and ignoble in his attitude»; «I think it a less evil that some criminals should escape than that the government should play an ignoble part»- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. |
|
| 4. | mean — excellent; «famous for a mean backhand»
jargon, lingo, patois, argot, vernacular, slang, cant — a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves); «they don’t speak our lingo» skilled — having or showing or requiring special skill; «only the most skilled gymnasts make an Olympic team»; «a skilled surgeon has many years of training and experience»; «a skilled reconstruction of her damaged elbow»; «a skilled trade» |
|
| 5. |  mean — marked by poverty befitting a beggar; «a beggarly existence in the slums»; «a mean hut»
beggarly poor — characterized by or indicating poverty; «the country had a poor economy»; «they lived in the poor section of town» |
|
| 6. | mean — (used of persons or behavior) characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity; «a mean person»; «he left a miserly tip»
mingy, miserly, tight stingy, ungenerous — unwilling to spend; «she practices economy without being stingy»; «an ungenerous response to the appeal for funds» |
|
| 7. |  mean — (used of sums of money) so small in amount as to deserve contempt
beggarly stingy, ungenerous — unwilling to spend; «she practices economy without being stingy»; «an ungenerous response to the appeal for funds» |
|
| 8. |  mean — of no value or worth; «I was caught in the bastardly traffic»
bastardly contemptible — deserving of contempt or scorn |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
mean
1
verb
1. signify, say, suggest, indicate, represent, express, stand for, convey, spell out, purport, symbolize, denote, connote, betoken The red signal means that you can shoot.
2. imply, suggest, intend, indicate, refer to, intimate, get at (informal), hint at, have in mind, drive at (informal), allude to, insinuate What do you think he means by that?
4. result in, cause, produce, effect, lead to, involve, bring about, give rise to, entail, engender, necessitate Trade and product discounts can mean big savings.
5. intend, want, plan, expect, design, aim, wish, think, propose, purpose, desire, set out, contemplate, aspire, have plans, have in mind I didn’t mean to hurt you.
7. matter, be significant, have significance, have importance It doesn’t sound much, but it means a lot to me.
mean
2
adjective
1. miserly, stingy, parsimonious, niggardly, close (informal), near (informal), tight, selfish, beggarly, mercenary, skimpy, penny-pinching, ungenerous, penurious, tight-fisted, tight-arsed (taboo slang), mingy (Brit. informal), tight-assed (U.S. taboo slang), snoep (S. African informal), tight as a duck’s arse (taboo slang) Don’t be mean with the fabric, or the curtains will end up looking skimpy.
miserly generous, prodigal, altruistic, bountiful, unselfish, munificent
2. dishonourable, base, petty, degraded, disgraceful, shameful, shabby, vile, degenerate, callous, sordid, abject, despicable, narrow-minded, contemptible, wretched, scurvy, ignoble, hard-hearted, scungy (Austral. & N.Z.), low-minded Upstaging the bride was a particularly mean trick.
dishonourable good, honourable, praiseworthy
3. malicious, hostile, nasty, sour, unpleasant, rude, unfriendly, bad-tempered, disagreeable, churlish, ill-tempered, cantankerous The prison officer described him as the meanest man he’d ever met.
malicious kind, liberal, gentle, sympathetic, humane, compassionate, warm-hearted
4. shabby, poor, miserable, run-down, beggarly, seedy, scruffy, sordid, paltry, squalid, tawdry, low-rent (informal, chiefly U.S.), contemptible, wretched, down-at-heel, grungy (slang, chiefly U.S.), scuzzy (slang, chiefly U.S.) He was raised in the mean streets of the central market district.
shabby pleasing, excellent, attractive, superb, choice, superior, first-rate, de luxe
5. excellent, great (informal), outstanding, superb, bad (informal), fine, masterly, wonderful, brilliant (Brit. informal), smashing (informal), tremendous (informal), ace (informal), magnificent, neat (U.S. informal), fabulous (informal), first-class, marvellous, exceptional, terrific (informal), formidable, sensational (informal), awesome (informal), skilful, A1 (informal), virtuoso, super (informal), wicked (informal), first-rate, bonzer (Austral. informal), badass (U.S. informal) She plays a mean game of tennis.
6. lowly, low, common, ordinary, modest, base, obscure, humble, inferior, vulgar, menial, proletarian, undistinguished, servile, ignoble, plebeian, lowborn, baseborn (archaic) southern opportunists of mean origins
lowly high, important, princely, significant, noble, consequential
mean
3
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
mean 1
verb
1. To have or convey a particular idea:
2. To have in mind as a goal or purpose:
mean 2
adjective
1. Characterized by intense ill will or spite:
black, despiteful, evil, hateful, malevolent, malicious, malign, malignant, nasty, poisonous, spiteful, venomous, vicious, wicked.
2. Having or proceeding from low moral standards:
3. Ungenerously or pettily reluctant to spend money:
cheap, close, close-fisted, costive, hard-fisted, miserly, niggard, niggardly, parsimonious, penny-pinching, penurious, petty, pinching, stingy, tight, tightfisted.
4. Of low or lower quality:
5. Of little distinction:
6. Lacking high station or birth:
7. Affected or tending to be affected with minor health problems:
8. So objectionable as to elicit despisal or deserve condemnation:
abhorrent, abominable, antipathetic, contemptible, despicable, despisable, detestable, disgusting, filthy, foul, infamous, loathsome, lousy, low, nasty, nefarious, obnoxious, odious, repugnant, rotten, shabby, vile, wretched.
9. Informal. Having or showing a bad temper:
bad-tempered, cantankerous, crabbed, cranky, cross, disagreeable, fretful, grouchy, grumpy, ill-tempered, irascible, irritable, nasty, peevish, petulant, querulous, snappish, snappy, surly, testy, ugly, waspish.
10. Slang. Hard to treat, manage, or cope with:
mean 3
noun
1. Something, as a type, number, quantity, or degree, that represents a midpoint between extremes on a scale of valuation:
2. That by which something is accomplished or some end achieved.Used in plural:
3. All things, such as money, property, or goods, having economic value.Used in plural:
adjective
The American Heritage® Roget’s Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
znamenatzamýšletzlýaritmetický průměrchtít
betydemenemiddel-nærigond
meza
aikoailkeätarkoittaakeski-keskiarvo
mislitinamjeravatizločestznačiti
jelent
ætlaillskeytturkvikindislegurlélegurmeîal-, meîaltals-
けちなわざと･･･する意味する本気で言う
~을 뜻하다~을 의도하다뜻하다인색한
būt domātambūt nodomājušamgribētnabadzīgsnegodīgs
avea intenţiagândivrea
hudobennameravatipomenitiskop
elakmenatänkauselgemen
ใจร้ายตั้งใจมีเจตนาหมายความว่า
bần tiệncó nghĩacố ýmuốn nói
Collins Spanish Dictionary — Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
mean
[ˈmiːn]
vt [meant] [ˈmɛnt] (pt, pp)
[speaker, writer] → vouloir dire
What do you mean? → Qu’est-ce que vous voulez dire?, Que voulez-vous dire?
That’s not what I meant → Ce n’est pas ce que je voulais dire.
which one do you mean? → duquel veux-tu parler?
to mean sth by sth
What do you think he means by that? → Que pensez-vous qu’il veuille dire par là?
… I mean (clarifying)
It was his idea — Gordon’s, I mean → C’était son idée. Celle de Gordon, je veux dire.
He studied law and French — I mean law and German → Il a étudié le droit et le français. Le droit et l’allemand, je veux dire.
(= intend) to mean to do sth → vouloir faire qch
I didn’t mean to offend you → Je ne voulais pas vous offenser.
I have been meaning to write this letter for some time now → Je voulais t’écrire cette lettre depuis un petit moment déjà.
I meant to phone you but I forgot → Je voulais vous téléphoner mais j’ai oublié.
(emotionally) to mean a lot to sb (= be important to) → compter beaucoup pour qn
That watch means a lot to me → Cette montre compte beaucoup pour moi. (= bring great happiness to) → vouloir dire beaucoup pour qn
to know what sth means → savoir ce que qch veut dire
I know what it means to lose a child → Je sais ce que ça veut dire de perdre un enfant.
vi
to mean well (= have kind intentions) → vouloir bien faire
She means well → Elle veut bien faire.
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
mean
1
mean
2
mean
3 pret, ptp <meant>
vt
(= signify) → bedeuten; (person: = refer to, have in mind) → meinen; what do you mean by that? → was willst du damit sagen?; the name means nothing to me → der Name sagt mir nichts; it means starting all over again → das bedeutet or das heißt, dass wir wieder ganz von vorne anfangen müssen; this will mean great changes → dies wird bedeutende Veränderungen zur Folge haben; a pound means a lot to her → für sie ist ein Pfund eine Menge Geld; your friendship/he means a lot to me → deine Freundschaft/er bedeutet mir viel; you mean everything to me → du bist alles für mich
(= intend) → beabsichtigen; to mean to do something → etw tun wollen; (= do on purpose) → etw absichtlich tun; to be meant for somebody/something → für jdn/etw bestimmt sein; to mean somebody to do something → wollen, dass jd etw tut; something is meant to be something → etw soll etw sein; what do you mean to do? → was wirst du tun?, was hast du vor?; I only meant to help → ich wollte nur helfen; of course it hurt, I meant it to or it was meant to → natürlich tat das weh, das war Absicht; without meaning to sound rude → ich möchte nicht unverschämt klingen(, aber …); I meant it as a joke → das sollte ein Witz sein; I meant you to have it → das solltest du haben; I was meant to do that → ich hätte das tun sollen; you are meant to be on time → du solltest pünktlich sein; he wasn’t meant to be a leader → er war nicht zum Führer bestimmt; I thought it was meant to be hot in the south → ich dachte immer, dass es im Süden so heiß sei; I mean to be obeyed → ich verlange, dass man mir gehorcht; I mean to have it → ich bin fest entschlossen, es zu bekommen; this pad is meant for drawing → dieser Block ist zum Zeichnen gedacht or da (inf); if he means to be awkward … → wenn er vorhat, Schwierigkeiten zu machen …; this present was meant for you → dieses Geschenk sollte für dich sein or war für dich gedacht ? business
(= be serious about) → ernst meinen; I mean it! → das ist mein Ernst!, ich meine das ernst!; do you mean to say you’re not coming? → willst du damit sagen or soll das heißen, dass du nicht kommst?; I mean what I say → ich sage das im Ernst; do you really mean it this time? → ist es dir diesmal ernst or Ernst damit?
he means well/no harm → er meint es gut/nicht böse; to mean well by somebody → es gut mit jdm meinen; to mean somebody no harm → es gut mit jdm meinen, jdm nichts Böses wollen; (physically) → jdm nichts tun; (in past tense) → jdm nichts tun wollen; I meant no harm by what I said → was ich da gesagt habe, war nicht böse gemeint
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
mean
1 [miːn] (meant (pt, pp)) vt
mean
2 [miːn] adj (-er (comp) (-est (superl)))
a. (with money) → avaro/a, spilorcio/a, gretto/a
mean with → avaro/a con
b. (unkind, spiteful) → meschino/a, maligno/a
a mean trick → uno scherzo ignobile
you mean thing! (fam) → che meschino!
it made me feel mean → mi ha fatto sentire un verme
c. (Am) (vicious, animal) → cattivo/a; (person) → perfido/a
mean
3 [miːn]
2. adj (average) → medio/a
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
mean1
(miːn) adjective
1. not generous (with money etc). He’s very mean (with his money / over pay).
2. likely or intending to cause harm or annoyance. It is mean to tell lies.
3. (especially American) bad-tempered, vicious or cruel. a mean mood.
4. (of a house etc) of poor quality; humble. a mean dwelling.
ˈmeanly adverbˈmeanness nounmeanie noun
(also meany) (slang) a mean, bad and selfish person.
mean2
(miːn) adjective
1. (of a statistic) having the middle position between two points, quantities etc. the mean value on a graph.
2. average. the mean annual rainfall.
noun
something that is midway between two opposite ends or extremes. Three is the mean of the series one to five.
mean3
(miːn) – past tense, past participle meant (ment) – verb
1. to (intend to) express, show or indicate. `Vacation’ means `holiday’; What do you mean by (saying/doing) that?
2. to intend. I meant to go to the exhibition but forgot; For whom was that letter meant?; He means (= is determined) to be a rich man some day.
ˈmeaning noun
the sense in which a statement, action, word etc is (intended to be) understood. What is the meaning of this phrase?; What is the meaning of his behaviour?
adjective
(of a look, glance etc) showing a certain feeling or giving a certain message. The teacher gave the boy a meaning look when he arrived late.
ˈmeaningful adjective
(often used loosely) important in some way. a meaningful statement/relationship.
ˈmeaningless adjective
without meaning or reason; of no importance. meaningless chatter.
be meant to
to be required or supposed; to have to. The child is meant to be asleep!
mean well
to have good intentions. He meant well by what he said.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
mean
→ حَقِيرٌ, لا يـَمْزَحُ, يَعْنِي, يَقْصِدُ myslet vážně, zamýšlet, zlý, znamenat betyde, med vilje, mene, ond geizig, meinen, wollen εννοώ, θέλω, μοχθηρός malo, mezquino, querer, querer decir, significar aikoa, ilkeä, tarkoittaa avoir la ferme intention de, méchant, ne pas plaisanter, signifier misliti, namjeravati, zločest, značiti avere l’intenzione di, fare sul serio, meschino, significare けちな, わざと･･･する, 意味する, 本気で言う ~을 뜻하다, ~을 의도하다, 뜻하다, 인색한 bedoelen, betekenen, gemeen, menen bety, gjerrig, mene oznaczać, oznaczyć, robić coś celowo, skąpy falar sério, mesquinho, querer, querer dizer, significar, tencionar иметь ввиду, означать, убогий, хотеть elak, mena ใจร้าย, ตั้งใจ, มีเจตนา, หมายความว่า eli sıkı, gerçeği söylemek, kastetmek, yapmak istemek bần tiện, có nghĩa, cố ý, muốn nói 吝啬的, 对…认真, 意谓, 打算
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
mean
n. media, índice, término medio;
___ corpuscular hemoglobin → índice corpuscular de hemoglobina
a. malo-a, desconsiderado-a, de mal humor.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
- What does this mean?
Collins Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
mean
adj (math) medio; (cruel) cruel; n media, promedio
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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WordReference Random House Learner’s Dictionary of American English © 2023 mean1 /min/USA pronunciation
mean2 /min/USA pronunciation
mean•ly, adv.
mean3 /min/USA pronunciation
adj. [before a noun]
Idioms
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2023 mean1
v.i.
adj.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: mean /miːn/ vb (means, meaning, meant)(mainly tr)
Etymology: Old English mænan; compare Old Saxon mēnian to intend, Dutch meenen mean /miːn/ adj
Etymology: 12th Century: from Old English gemǣne common; related to Old High German gimeini, Latin communis common, at first with no pejorative sense ˈmeanly adv ˈmeanness n mean /miːn/ n
adj
Etymology: 14th Century: via Anglo-Norman from Old French moien, from Late Latin mediānus median ‘mean‘ also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations): |
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Английское произношение:
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We use the word “mean” in English in lots of different ways. I imagine that you use the word very often.
В английском языке мы используем слово «mean» по-разному. Думаю, вы (тоже) часто его используете.
You ask your English teacher what a particular English word means. You say for example, “What does ‘tree’ mean?” You are saying, what is the word for “tree” in my language? How can I translate the English word “tree”?
Вы спрашиваете своего учителя английского языка, что значит какое-то слово. Например, говорите: «Что значит (mean) слово tree?«. То есть какое слово на моём родном языке соответствует английскому tree?
But we can use “mean” in other ways too. For example, you remember that Joanne’s mother really does not like Kevin, and she is unpleasant to him every time they meet.
Но «mean» можно использовать и иначе. Например, вы помните, что мама Джоан не любит Кевина и и каждый раз ведёт себя с ним не слишком вежливо.
But last time they met, she was quite nice. She asked about his football team, and where he and Joanne were going on holiday. What can it mean? Why was she so nice? What is the explanation?
Но в прошлый раз она была довольно любезна. Спросила о футбольной команд и куда они с Джоан поедут в отпуск. Что это может значить? С чего это она так любезна? В чём объяснение?
Another example. I go to my bank website to check how much money is in my account.
Другой пример. Я захожу на сайт своего банка, чтобы посмотреть, сколько денег на моём счёте.
I see that there are two tranactions which I do not remember. What can this mean? Has someone stolen my debit card? Has the bank made a mistake? Or have I simply forgotten what I spent the money on? What is the explanation?
Вижу две покупки (сделки), о которых я не помню. Что это значит (What can this mean)? Неужели украли мою кредитную карточку? А может, банк ошибся? Или я просто забыл, на что потратил деньги? Как это объяснить?
And another example, with a slightly different meaning. Kevin goes to a party at his friend George’s house. He stays until about 1am.
И ещё один пример, несколько другой (по смыслу). Кевин идёт на вечеринку к своему другу Джорджу. Сидит там до часу ночи.
This means that he has missed the last bus home. It means that he will need to walk home or get a taxi. In other words, the result of staying late at the party is that Kevin has missed the bus and will have to walk home.
А значит (this means), пропускает (последний) автобус до дома. А это значит, что придётся идти пешком или брать такси. Другими словами, Кевин задержался в гостях — и в результате опоздал на автобус, и ему придётся идти домой пешком.
In the early 20th century, the English writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote books and short stories about a detective called Sherlock Holmes.
В начале 20-го столетия английский писатель Артур Конан Дойль писал рассказы о детективе по имени Шерлок Холмс.
You have probably heard of him, since the Sherlock Holmes stories have been translated into many different languages.
Вероятно, вы слышали о Шерлоке Холмсе, поскольку эти рассказы переведены на многие языки.
Sherlock Holmes had a companion, Dr Watson, who worked with him on many of his cases.
У Шерлока Холмса был друг (компаньон) доктор Уотсон (Ватсон), помогавший расследовать дела.
Here is a Sherlock Holmes joke that I found in the newspaper last week.
Вот шутка Шерлока Холмса, которую я нашёл в газете на прошлой неделе.
In one of their adventures, Holmes and Watson needed to travel to a remote place. There was no house where they could stay, so they took a tent with them.
В одном из их приключений Холмсу и Уотсону пришлось совершить дальнюю поездку. Остановиться (на ночь) было негде, поэтому они взяли с собой палатку.
As evening fell, they pitched the tent, and after they had eaten their supper they went to sleep in the tent for the night.
Вечером поставили палатку, поужинали и легли на ночь в эту палатку.
In the middle of the night, Holmes woke Watson and said, “Look up, Watson. What can you see?”
Среди ночи Холмс будит Уотсона и говорит: «Посмотри, Уотсон. Что ты видишь?»
And Watson woke up, and looked. “I see the stars,” he said. “There are thousands and thousands of them.”
Уотсон (проснулся и) посмотрел и сказал: «Вижу звёзды. Многие тысячи звёзд».
“And what does it all mean, Watson?” said Holmes. “What does it mean?”
«Что всё это значит, Уотсон? Что это значит?», — спрашивает Холмс.
And Watson replied, “Well, if there are millions of stars and even a few of those stars have planets, it is quite likely that there are other planets like earth in the universe. And if there are a few planets like earth in the universe, there might also be life – living things like us.”
А Уотсон отвечает: «Ну, среди миллионов звёзд хотя бы некоторые имеют планеты, и вероятно, во вселенной существуют другие планеты, похожие на Землю. А если есть планеты, похожие на Землю, на них может быть жизнь — подобные нам существа».
“You fool Watson,” replied Holmes. “It means that someone has stolen our tent!”
А Холмс отвечает: «Ты дурак, Уотсон. Это значит, что нашу палатку украли».
Peter Carter
Страницы:
Указатель изучаемых английских слов и словосочетаний:
A, B
C, D
E, F
G, H
I, J
K, L
M, N
O, P
Q, R
S, T
U, V
W, X
Y, Z