mean — to intend or plan to do something
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to intend or plan to do something
Pronunciation (IPA): /miːn/
Example Sentences
- I didn't mean to eat your pizza, but it looked so lonely in the fridge!
- The mean score on the test was 85.
- My cat gives me mean looks when I'm late with dinner.
mean
VERB[/miːn/]
to intend or plan to do something
She carefully explains what she means to her attentive friend
I mean to paint this green screen!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Old English 'mænan' meaning 'to intend, signify, or have in mind,' related to Proto-Germanic '*mainjan'. The word is connected to Old High German 'meinen' and has roots in Indo-European expressing the concept of intention or significance.
Breakdown
mean (Old English 'mænan') = single morpheme with no productive affixes in modern English, though historically from Proto-Germanic root *main- (to have in mind, intend)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“I didn't mean to eat your pizza, but it looked so lonely in the fridge!”
“The mean score on the test was 85.”
“My cat gives me mean looks when I'm late with dinner.”
“Could you explain what this word means?”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
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