n.
Pronunciation: ' m ē n
Function: verb
Inflected Form: meant \ ' ment \ ; mean · ing \ ' m ē -ni ŋ \
Etymology: Middle English menen, from Old English m ǣ nan; akin to Old High German meinen to have in mind, Old Church Slavic m ě niti to mention
Date: before 12th century
transitive verb
1 a : to have in the mind as a purpose : INTEND <she mean s to win> ― sometimes used interjectionally with I, chiefly in informal speech for emphasis <he throws, I mean , hard> or to introduce a phrase restating the point of a preceding phrase <we try to answer what we can, but I mean we're not God ― Bobbie Ann Mason> b : to design for or destine to a specified purpose or future <I was meant to teach>
2 : to serve or intend to convey, show, or indicate : SIGNIFY <a red sky mean s rain>
3 : to have importance to the degree of <health mean s everything>
4 : to direct to a particular individual
intransitive verb : to have an intended purpose <he mean s well>
– mean · er \ ' m ē -n ə r \ noun
– mean business : to be in earnest