Reading Theme:
Mean Meaning: Intend, Stingy, Average & Unkind (5 meaning)
Meaning 1：intend (mean)
mean
/miːn/
v.
to have something in your mind as a plan or a purpose.
intend
➕
/ɪnˈtend/
v.
To have a plan or intention in one's mind regarding a specific action or outcome.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Old English 'mænan' (intend, signify), related to Latin 'mens' (mind).
💡 Mnemonic
MEAN: 'Mind's Every Action's Notion' - helps recall intending or signifying something.
📖 Example
I didn't mean to interrupt your conversation; I just wanted to ask for the time.
I didn't intend to interrupt your conversation; I just wanted to ask for the time.
🔗 Collocations
mean to do something – intend to do something
mean business – be serious and determined
mean well – have good intentions
🔄 Synonyms
🌱 Derivatives
meaning (n.) – the idea that is represented by a word or action
meaningful (adj.) – having a clear and serious purpose or value
meaningless (adj.) – having no purpose or importance
📖 Cultural Story
The verb 'mean' comes from Old English 'mænan' meaning 'to have in mind'. Its sense of 'intend' evolved directly. The adjective meanings (unkind, stingy) originated from 'common' or 'low' in Middle English, a different etymology.
Meaning 2：stingy (mean)
mean
/miːn/
v.
not willing to give or share things, especially money; ungenerous.
stingy
➕
/ˈstɪndʒi/
v.
Unwilling to give or share things, especially money; excessively frugal.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
My uncle is so mean; he still uses the same old phone from ten years ago and refuses to buy a new one.
My uncle is so stingy; he still uses the same old phone from ten years ago and refuses to buy a new one.
🔗 Collocations
be mean with money – be unwilling to spend or share money
mean streak – a tendency to be unkind or stingy
no mean feat – a difficult achievement (idiom, not about stinginess)
🔄 Synonyms
stingy (adj.) – unwilling to give or spend; not generous
miserly (adj.) – extremely stingy, often hoarding money
tightfisted (adj.) – unwilling to spend money; miserly
🚫 Antonyms
🌱 Derivatives
meanness (n.) – the quality of being stingy or unkind
Meaning 3：average (mean)
mean
/miːn/
v.
found by adding all the numbers in a set together and dividing by how many numbers there are.
average
➕
/ˈævərɪdʒ/
v.
The value obtained by adding all numbers in a set and dividing by the count of numbers; the arithmetic mean.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
To calculate the mean score of the class, add all the test results and divide by the number of students.
To calculate the average score of the class, add all the test results and divide by the number of students.
🔗 Collocations
mean score – the average score
arithmetic mean – the sum of values divided by the number of values
geometric mean – the nth root of the product of n numbers
Meaning 4：unkind (mean)
mean
/miːn/
v.
unkind or unpleasant, especially by saying or doing hurtful things to others.
unkind
➕
/ʌnˈkaɪnd/
v.
Unpleasant and hurtful, especially by saying or doing things that cause emotional pain to others.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
It was really mean of him to laugh at her new haircut in front of everyone.
It was very unkind of him to laugh at her new haircut in front of everyone.
🔗 Collocations
mean to someone – be unkind or cruel to someone
mean something – say or do something hurtful intentionally
mean joke – a joke that is hurtful or offensive
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
🌱 Derivatives
meanness (n.) – the quality of being unkind or cruel
Meaning 5：the average (mean)
mean
/miːn/
v.
the average value that you get by adding numbers together and dividing by how many there are.
the average
➕
/ði ˈævərɪdʒ/
v.
The numerical result of dividing the sum of a set of values by the number of values; a measure of central tendency.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
The mean of 2, 4, and 9 is 5.
The average of 2, 4, and 9 is 5.
🔗 Collocations
the mean – the average value
mean value – the average value in a set
population mean – the average of all values in a population
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