meaning Definition

mean¹
verb meant, meaning

1. To express or intend to express, show or indicate something.

Thesaurus: denote, indicate, express, signify, designate, stand for, import, symbolize, represent, imply, suggest.
2. To intend something; to have it as a purpose.

Example: didn't mean any harm
Thesaurus: propose, intend, anticipate, expect, plan, design.
3. To be serious or sincere about something.

Example: He means what he says
4. To be important to the degree specified; to represent something.

Example: Your approval means a lot to me
Example: He meant nothing to me
5. To entail something necessarily; to involve or result in it.

Example: War means hardship
6. To foretell or portend something.

Example: Cold cloudless evenings mean overnight frost

Idiom: be meant for something

To be destined to it.
Example: She was meant for stardom

Idiom: mean well

To have good intentions.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon mænan.

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meaning
noun

1. The sense in which a statement, action, word, etc is intended to be understood.

Thesaurus: sense, implication, import, definition, intent, significance, drift, gist, upshot.
2. Significance, importance or purpose, especially when hidden or special.

Thesaurus: object, aim, point, purpose, message.

adj

1. Intended to express special significance.

Example: a meaning look