mean2

 
Pronunciation: /miːn/

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

adverb

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