mean

mean¹
(past and past participle meant )
[with obj.]

intend to convey, indicate, or refer to (a particular thing or notion); signify
指示，表示；意味
I don't know what you mean.
我不明白你的意思。
he was asked to clarify what his remarks meant.
有人要他澄清他的话是什么意思。
I meant you, not Jones.
我指的是你，而不是琼斯。
■(of a word) have (something) as its signification in the same language or its equivalent in another language
（词的）意思是
its name means ‘painted rock’ in Cherokee.
在切诺基语中它的名字的意思是“彩色岩石”。
■genuinely intend to convey or express (something)
真实地表达
when she said that before she meant it.
当她还不知自己真实意思就说了出来之时。
■(mean something to)be of some specified importance to (someone), especially as a source of benefit or object of affection
具有（指明的）重要性
animals have always meant more to him than people.
对他来说动物总是比人更重要。
intend (something) to occur or be the case
意欲，打算
they mean no harm.
他们没有害人之意。
[with infinitive]it was meant to be a secret.
原来是想就此事保密的。
■(be meant to do something)be supposed or intended to do something
应该做，被要求做
we were meant to go over yesterday.
我们本应该昨天过去。
■(常作 be meant for)design or destine for a particular purpose
为…设计（或指定）
the jacket was meant for a much larger person.
这种夹克是为身材更大的人设计的。
■(mean something by)have as a motive or excuse in explanation
有…意图（或借口）
what do you mean by leaving me out here in the cold?.
你把我丢在这里受冻是什么意思？。
■(be meant to be)be generally considered to be
一般被认为是
this one's meant to be priceless.
这一个一般被认为是无价的。
have as a consequence or result
引起，造成
the proposals are likely to mean another hundred closures.
这些建议可能会再次导致上百家歇业。
[with clause]heavy rain meant that the pitch was waterlogged.
暴雨造成球场积水。
■necessarily or usually entail or involve
（必然或往往）招致，涉及
coal stoves mean a lot of smoke.
用煤炉会生出很多烟。

常用词组
I mean

used to clarify or correct a statement or to introduce a justification or explanation
我想，我说，我的意思是（用于澄清或纠正，或用于提出理由、解释）
I mean, it's not as if I owned property.
我想说，我真的没有财产。

mean business

be in earnest
认真，热心

mean to say

[usu. in questions]really admit or intend to say
意思是说；想说
do you mean to say you've uncovered something new?.
你是不是想说你有新的发现？。

mean well

have good intentions, but not always the ability to carry them out
用意是好的，初衷是好的

语源

Old English mænan, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch meenen and German meinen, from an Indo-European root shared by mind

mean²
adjective

unwilling to give or share things, especially money; not generous
吝啬的，小气的
she felt mean not giving a tip.
不给小费她觉得小气。
they're not mean with the garlic.
他们用大蒜从不吝啬。
unkind, spiteful, or unfair
刻薄的；恶意的；有偏见的
it was very mean of me.
我真太刻薄了。
I was mean to them over the festive season.
在过节期间我对他们态度恶劣。
■(N. Amer.)vicious or aggressive in behaviour
(北美)凶狠的，好斗的
the dogs were considered mean, vicious, and a threat.
人们认为这些狗好斗、凶猛、危险。
(especially of a place) poor in quality and appearance; shabby
低劣的；破旧的
her home was mean and small.
她的家又破又小。
■(of a person's mental capacity or understanding) inferior; poor
（智力或理解力）低下的，下等的；差的
it was obvious to even the meanest intelligence.
就连最笨的人也能看得出来。
■(dated)of low birth or social class
(旧)出生卑微的，社会地位低下的
a muffler like that worn by the meanest of people.
一条像社会最底层的人所戴的围巾。
(informal)excellent; very skilful or effective
(非正式)出色的；灵巧的；有效的
he's a mean cook.
他是个很好的厨师。
she dances a mean Charleston.
她的查尔斯顿舞跳得灵巧。

常用词组
mean streets

used in reference to a socially deprived area of a city, or one which is noted for violence and crime
贫民街区；治安混乱的城区
the mean streets of the South Bronx.
南布朗克斯的贫民街区。

no mean —

denoting something very good of its kind
很好的，很棒的
it was no mean feat.
这是一大成就。

派生
meanly
adverb
meanness
noun
语源

Middle English, shortening of Old English gemǣne, of Germanic origin, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin communis 'common'. The original sense was 'common to two or more persons', later 'inferior in rank', leading to sense 3 and a sense 'ignoble, small-minded', from which senses 1 and 2 (which became common in the 19th cent.) arose

mean³
noun

the quotient of the sum of several quantities and their number; an average
平均数；平均值；平均。参见 arithmetic mean, geometric mean
acid output was calculated by taking the mean of all three samples.
酸的生成量以全部三份样品的平均值计算。
■the term or one of the terms midway between the first and last terms of a progression
中项，中间
a condition, quality, or course of action equally removed from two opposite (usually unsatisfactory) extremes
中庸；折中
the measure expresses a mean between saving and splashing out.
这个措施是对存钱和花钱的一个折中。

adjective
[attrib.]

(of a quantity) calculated as a mean; average
平均的
by 1989 the mean age at marriage stood at 24.8 for women and 26.9 for men.
到1989年，平均结婚年龄为女性24.8岁，男性26.9岁。
equally far from two extremes
中间的，中等的，居中的；中庸的
hope is the mean virtue between despair and presumption.
希望是居于绝望和奢望之间的一种美德。

语源

Middle English: from Old French meien, from Latin medianus 'middle' (see median)

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