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MEAN, a. [L. communis, vulgus, minor and minuo.] 1. Wanting dignity; low in rank or birth; as a man of mean parentage,mean birth or origin.2. Wanting dignity of mind; low minded; base; destitute of honor; spiritless. Can you imagine I so mean could prove, To save my life by changing of my love?3. Contemptible; despicable. The Roman legions and great Caesar found Our fathers no mean foes.4. Of little value; low in worth or estimation; worthy of little or no regard. We fast, not to please men, nor to promote any mean worldly interest.5. Of little value; humble; poor; as a mean abode; a mean dress.MEAN, a. [L. medium, medius.] 1. Middle; at an equal distance from the extremes; as the means distance; the mean proportion between quantities; the mean ratio. According to the fittest style of lofty, mean, or lowly.2. Intervening; intermediate; coming between; as in the mean time or while.MEAN, n. The middle point or place; the middle rate or degree; mediocrity; medium. Observe the golden mean. There is a mean in all things. But no authority of gods or men Allow of any mean in poesy.1. Intervening time; interval of time; interim; meantime. And in the mean, vouchsafe her honorable tomb.Here is an omission of time or while.2. Measure; regulation. [Not in use.]3. Instrument; that which is used to effect an object; the medium through which something is done. The virtuous conversation of christians was a mean to work the conversion of the heathen to Christ.In this sense, means, in the plural,is generally used, and often with a definitive and verb in the singular. By this means he had them more at vantage. A good character,when established, should not be rested on as an end, but employed as a means of doing good.4. Means, in the plural, income, revenue, resources, substance or estate, considered as the instrument of effecting any purpose. He would have built a house, but he wanted means. Your means are slender.5. Instrument of action or performance.By all means, without fail. Go, by all means. By no means, not at all; certainly not; not in any degree. The wine on this side of the lake is by no means so good as that on the other.By no manner of means, by no means; not the least. By any means, possibly; at all. If by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead. Phil.3.Meantime Meanwhile, in the intervening time. [In this use of these words there is an omission of in or in the; in the meantime.] MEAN, v.t. pret. and pp. meant; pronounced ment. [L. mens; Eng.mind; L. intendo, propono.] 1. To have in the mind, view or contemplation; to intend. What mean you by this service? Ex.12.2. To intend; to purpose; to design, with reference to a future act. Ye thought evil against me, but God meant it for good. Gen.1.3. To signify; to indicate. What mean these seven ewe lambs? Gen.21. What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? 1 Sam.4. Go ye, and learn what that meaneth-- Matt.9.MEAN, v.i. To have thought or ideas; or to have meaning.
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Evolution (or devolution) of this word [mean]
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MEAN, a. [L. communis, vulgus, minor and minuo.] 1. Wanting dignity; low in rank or birth; as a man of mean parentage,mean birth or origin.2. Wanting dignity of mind; low minded; base; destitute of honor; spiritless. Can you imagine I so mean could prove, To save my life by changing of my love?3. Contemptible; despicable. The Roman legions and great Caesar found Our fathers no mean foes.4. Of little value; low in worth or estimation; worthy of little or no regard. We fast, not to please men, nor to promote any mean worldly interest.5. Of little value; humble; poor; as a mean abode; a mean dress.MEAN, a. [L. medium, medius.] 1. Middle; at an equal distance from the extremes; as the means distance; the mean proportion between quantities; the mean ratio. According to the fittest style of lofty, mean, or lowly.2. Intervening; intermediate; coming between; as in the mean time or while.MEAN, n. The middle point or place; the middle rate or degree; mediocrity; medium. Observe the golden mean. There is a mean in all things. But no authority of gods or men Allow of any mean in poesy.1. Intervening time; interval of time; interim; meantime. And in the mean, vouchsafe her honorable tomb.Here is an omission of time or while.2. Measure; regulation. [Not in use.]3. Instrument; that which is used to effect an object; the medium through which something is done. The virtuous conversation of christians was a mean to work the conversion of the heathen to Christ.In this sense, means, in the plural,is generally used, and often with a definitive and verb in the singular. By this means he had them more at vantage. A good character,when established, should not be rested on as an end, but employed as a means of doing good.4. Means, in the plural, income, revenue, resources, substance or estate, considered as the instrument of effecting any purpose. He would have built a house, but he wanted means. Your means are slender.5. Instrument of action or performance.By all means, without fail. Go, by all means. By no means, not at all; certainly not; not in any degree. The wine on this side of the lake is by no means so good as that on the other.By no manner of means, by no means; not the least. By any means, possibly; at all. If by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead. Phil.3.Meantime Meanwhile, in the intervening time. [In this use of these words there is an omission of in or in the; in the meantime.] MEAN, v.t. pret. and pp. meant; pronounced ment. [L. mens; Eng.mind; L. intendo, propono.] 1. To have in the mind, view or contemplation; to intend. What mean you by this service? Ex.12.2. To intend; to purpose; to design, with reference to a future act. Ye thought evil against me, but God meant it for good. Gen.1.3. To signify; to indicate. What mean these seven ewe lambs? Gen.21. What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? 1 Sam.4. Go ye, and learn what that meaneth-- Matt.9.MEAN, v.i. To have thought or ideas; or to have meaning. | MEAN, n.- The middle point or place; the middle rate or degree; mediocrity; medium. Observe the golden mean.
There is a mean in all things. Dryden.
But no authority of gods or men / Allow of any mean in poesy. Roscommon.
- Intervening time; interval of time; interim; meantime.
And in the mean, vouchsafe her honorable tomb. Spenser.
Here is an omission of time or while.
- Measure; regulation. [Not in use.] Spenser.
- Instrument; that which is used to effect an object; the medium through which something is done.
The virtuous conversation of Christians was a mean to work the conversion of the heathen
to Christ. Hooker.
In this sense, means, in the plural, is generally used, and often with a definitive and verb in the singular.
By this means he had them more at vantage. Bacon.
A good character, when established, should not be rested on as an end, but employed as a means of doing good. Atterbury.
- Means, in the plural, income, revenue, resources, substance or estate, considered as the instrument of effecting any purpose. He would have built a house, but he wanted
means.
Your means are slender. Shak.
- Instrument of action or performance.
By all means, without fail. Go, by all means.
By no means, not at all; certainly not; not in any degree.
The wine on this side of the lake is by no means so good as that on the other. Addison.
By no manner of means, by no means; not the leant. Burke.
By any means, possibly; at all.
If by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead. Phil. iii.
Meantime, or Meanwhile, in the intervening time. [In this use of these words there is an omission of in or in the; in the meantime.]
MEAN, v.i.To have thought or ideas; or to have meaning. Pope. MEAN, v.t. [pret. and pp. meant; pronounced ment; Sax. mænan, menan, to mean, to intend, also to relate, to recite or tell, also to moan, to lament; G. meinen; D. meenen; Sw. mena; Dan. meener, mener; Russ. mnyu, to think or believe; Ir. smuainim. It coincides in origin with L. mens, Eng. mind. The primary sense is to set or to thrust forward, to reach, stretch or extend. So in L. intendo, to stretch onward or toward, and propono, to propose, to set or put forward.]- To have in the mind, view or contemplation; to intend.
What mean you by this service? Exod. xii.
- To intend; to purpose; to design, with reference to a future act.
Ye thought evil against me, but God meant it for good. Gen. 1.
- To signify; to indicate.
What mean these seven ewe lambs. Gen. xxi.
What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? 1 Sam. iv.
Go ye, and learn what that meaneth. Matth. ix.
MEAN, a.1 [Sax. mæne, gemæne; the latter word signifies common, L. communis. Mean coincides in elements with Sax. mæneg, many, and the primary sense may be a crowd, like vulgar, from L. vulgus. If the primary sense is small, it coincides with Ir. mion, W. mân, or main, Fr. menu, It. meno, L. minor and minuo, to diminish; but I think the word belongs to the root of common. See Class Mn, No. 2 and 5.]- Wanting dignity; low in rank or birth; as, a man of mean parentage, mean birth or origin.
- Wanting dignity of mind; low-minded; base; destitute of honor; spiritless.
Can you imagine I so mean could prove, / To save my life by changing of my love? Dryden.
- Contemptible; despicable.
The Roman legions and great Cesar found / Our fathers no mean foes. Philips.
- Of little value; low in worth or estimation; worthy of little or no regard.
We fast, not to please men, nor to promote any mean worldly interest. Smalridge.
- Of little value; humble; poor; as, a mean abode; a mean dress.
MEAN, a.2 [Fr. moyen; Sp. and Port. mediano; L. medium, medius; Ir. meadhan. See Middle.]- Middle; at an equal distance from the extremes; as the mean distance; the mean proportion between quantities; the mean ratio.
According to the fittest style of lofty, mean, or lowly. Milton.
- Intervening; intermediate; coming between; as, in the mean time or while.
| Mean
- To
have in the mind, as a purpose, intention, etc.; to intend; to
purpose; to design; as, what do you mean to do ?
- To have a purpose or
intention.
- Destitute of distinction or eminence;
common; low; vulgar; humble.
- Occupying a middle position; middle; being
about midway between extremes.
- That
which is mean, or intermediate, between two extremes of place, time,
or number; the middle point or place; middle rate or degree;
mediocrity; medium; absence of extremes or excess; moderation;
measure.
- To signify; to indicate; to import; to
denote.
- Wanting dignity of mind; low-minded; base;
destitute of honor; spiritless; as, a mean motive.
- Intermediate in excellence of any
kind.
- A quantity having an
intermediate value between several others, from which it is derived,
and of which it expresses the resultant value; usually, unless
otherwise specified, it is the simple average, formed by adding the
quantities together and dividing by their number, which is called an
arithmetical mean. A geometrical mean is the square
root of the product of the quantities.
- Of little value or account; worthy of
little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.
- Average; having an
intermediate value between two extremes, or between the several
successive values of a variable quantity during one cycle of
variation; as, mean distance; mean motion; mean
solar day.
- That through which, or by the help of
which, an end is attained; something tending to an object desired;
intermediate agency or measure; necessary condition or coagent;
instrument.
- Of poor quality; as, mean
fare.
- Hence: Resources; property,
revenue, or the like, considered as the condition of easy livelihood,
or an instrumentality at command for effecting any purpose;
disposable force or substance.
- Penurious; stingy; close-fisted;
illiberal; as, mean hospitality.
- A part, whether alto or
tenor, intermediate between the soprano and base; a middle
part.
- Meantime; meanwhile.
- A mediator; a go-between.
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Mean MEAN, adjective [Latin communis, vulgus, minor and minuo.] 1. Wanting dignity; low in rank or birth; as a man of mean parentage, mean birth or origin. 2. Wanting dignity of mind; low minded; base; destitute of honor; spiritless. Can you imagine I so mean could prove, To save my life by changing of my love? 3. Contemptible; despicable. The Roman legions and great Caesar found Our fathers no mean foes. 4. Of little value; low in worth or estimation; worthy of little or no regard. We fast, not to please men, nor to promote any mean worldly interest. 5. Of little value; humble; poor; as a mean abode; a mean dress. MEAN, adjective [Latin medium, medius.] 1. Middle; at an equal distance from the extremes; as the means distance; the mean proportion between quantities; the mean ratio. According to the fittest style of lofty, mean or lowly. 2. Intervening; intermediate; coming between; as in the mean time or while. MEAN, noun The middle point or place; the middle rate or degree; mediocrity; medium. Observe the golden mean There is a mean in all things. But no authority of gods or men Allow of any mean in poesy. 1. Intervening time; interval of time; interim; meantime. And in the mean vouchsafe her honorable tomb. Here is an omission of time or while. 2. Measure; regulation. [Not in use.] 3. Instrument; that which is used to effect an object; the medium through which something is done. The virtuous conversation of christians was a mean to work the conversion of the heathen to Christ. In this sense, means, in the plural, is generally used, and often with a definitive and verb in the singular. By this means he had them more at vantage. A good character, when established, should not be rested on as an end, but employed as a means of doing good. 4. Means, in the plural, income, revenue, resources, substance or estate, considered as the instrument of effecting any purpose. He would have built a house, but he wanted means. Your means are slender. 5. Instrument of action or performance. By all means, without fail. Go, by all means. By no means, not at all; certainly not; not in any degree. The wine on this side of the lake is by no means so good as that on the other. By no manner of means, by no means; not the least. By any means, possibly; at all. If by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead. Philippians 3:11. MEANtime MEANwhile, in the intervening time. [In this use of these words there is an omission of in or in the; in the meantime.] MEAN, verb transitive preterit tense and participle passive meant; pronounced ment. [Latin mens; Eng.mind; Latin intendo, propono.] 1. To have in the mind, view or contemplation; to intend. What mean you by this service? Exodus 12:26. 2. To intend; to purpose; to design, with reference to a future act. Ye thought evil against me, but God meant it for good. Genesis 1:1. 3. To signify; to indicate. What mean these seven ewe lambs? Genesis 21:29. What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? 1 Samuel 4:6. Go ye, and learn what that meaneth-- Matthew 9:13. MEAN, verb intransitive To have thought or ideas; or to have meaning.
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Compact Edition |
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CD-ROM |
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* As a note, I have purchased each of these products. In fact, as we have been developing the Project:: 1828 Reprint, I have purchased several of the bulky hard-cover dictionaries. My opinion is that the 2000-page hard-cover edition is the only good viable solution at this time. The compact edition was a bit disappointing and the CD-ROM as well. |
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