mean2

Pronunciation: /miːn/

Translate mean | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish

Definition of mean

adjective

1chiefly British unwilling to give or share things, especially money; not generous:she felt mean not giving a tip they’re not mean with the garlic

2unkind, spiteful, or unfair:I was mean to them over the festive season
North American vicious or aggressive in behaviour:the dogs were considered mean, vicious, and a threat

3(especially of a place) poor in quality and appearance; shabby:her home was mean and small
(of a person’s mental capacity or understanding) inferior:it was obvious to even the meanest intelligence
dated of low birth or social class:a muffler like that worn by the meanest of people

4 informal very skilful or effective; excellent:he’s a mean cook she dances a mean tango

Phrases

mean streets: used in reference to a socially deprived area of a city, or one which is noted for violence and crime: the mean streets of the South Bronx
no mean ——: denoting something very good of its kind:a profit that crossed the £100 million barrier was no mean achievement

Derivatives

meanly

Origin:

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 people', later 'inferior in rank', leading to mean² (sense 3) and a sense 'ignoble, small-minded', from which mean² (sense 1) and mean² (sense 2) (which became common in the 19th century) arose

mean in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of mean in the US English dictionary

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Other

mean2

adjective

Phrases

mean streets

no mean ——

Derivatives

meanly

Origin:

mean in other Oxford dictionaries

Nearby words

More results for mean

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