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mean1 Audio pronunciation of "mean" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (mn)
v. meant, (mnt) mean·ing, means
v. tr.
1.
1. To be used to convey; denote: “‘The question is,’ said Alice, ‘whether you can make words mean so many different things’” (Lewis Carroll).
2. 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.