mean English · revision 1815

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725 (Beowulf)|origins=gmw-pro *mainjan}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /miːn/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The verb is [[inh|enm|menen]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[inh|ang|mǣnan|t=to intend; to tell, say; to signify]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) from [[gmw-pro|*mainjan]],^(Hoad 1986) whose descendants are [[ofs|mēna|t=to signify]], [[osx|mēnian|t=to intend, make known]], [[nl|menen]] and [[goh|meinen]] (modern [[de|meinen|t=to think, have an opinion]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002)^(Etymonline) It is related to [[sga|mian|t=wish, desire]] and [[cy|mwyn|t=enjoyment]],^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966) and the Oxford dictionaries and Weekley trace it to the same root as [[mind]].^(SOED 2002)^(NODE 1998)^(Weekley 1921) The adjective “ungenerous, unkind” is a different word, Middle English [[m|enm|mene]], short for [[m|enm|imene]], from Old English [[m|ang|ġemǣne|t=common, shared by all]],^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) from [[gem-pro|*ga-mainiz|t=possessed jointly]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) cognate with [[de|gemein|t=common; vulgar]], [[got|𐌲𐌰𐌼𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃|tr=gamains]] and [[la|commūnis|t=common]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(SOED 2002)^(Weekley 1921) A third word, the adjective and noun “middle, average”, is Middle English ''mene'', from Anglo-French and Old French [[m|fro|meien]] (modern French [[m|fr|moyen]]), from Latin [[m|la|mediānus|t=in the middle]], from [[m|la|medius|t=middle]]; it is a doublet of [[median]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To intend; to tell, say (about 725, in ''Beowulf'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The verb was used of having intentions of a particular kind (''mean well'') from the late 14th century, and of things that matter to someone (''it means a lot to me'') by 1888, and ''you know what I mean?'' is recorded by 1834.^(Etymonline) A separate Old English ''mǣnan'', “to lament”, survived in Scots and in Shakespeare's “to moan”.^(Skeat & Mayhew 1914)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) The adjective from ''ġemǣne'' first meant “shared by all, common” (about 1200), then “of low rank” (early 14th century) and “poor in quality” (late 14th century).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) Its senses ran parallel with those of [[common]],^(Weekley 1921)^(Etymonline) and were helped along by confusion with ''mean'' “middle”, which also had disparaging uses.^(Etymonline)^(Weekley 1921) Weekley notes that ''mean stature'' originally meant medium height.^(Etymonline)^(Weekley 1921) The senses “low-minded, ignoble” (1660s), “stingy” (by 1755) and “disobliging, unkind” (1839, originally American slang) followed,^(Etymonline) and the New Oxford says these became common in the 19th century.^(NODE 1998) In 1857 a British traveller noted ''mean'' as an Americanism for “poor, shabby”.^(Etymonline) The reversed sense “excellent” (''plays a mean guitar'') appeared about 1900, perhaps from ''no mean'' (1590s).^(Etymonline) The noun ''mean'' first named an intermediate tone in music (about 1300); the senses “method” (''by means of'') and “the middle way” followed in the late 14th century and the mathematical average in the mid-15th.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) Bartlett noted that many American writers used ''mean'' where English writers used ''means''.^(Bartlett 1848)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – Old English ''mǣnan'', to intend, tell (''Beowulf'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 888 – to have in mind as a purpose.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1200 – adjective ''mene'', common, shared (obsolete).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * c. 1300 – noun, an intermediate musical tone.^(Etymonline)

+ * early 14th century – of low rank.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1340 – adjective, middle, intermediate (''Ayenbite of Inwyt'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * late 14th century – ''means'', a method, and ''mean well''.^(Etymonline)

+ * mid-15th century – a mathematical average.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1660s – ignoble, low-minded.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1755 – stingy.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1839 – unkind, disobliging (American).^(Etymonline)

+ * 1882 – verb, to calculate the mean of.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1900 – excellent.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # Of words or signs, to have as their sense; to [[signify]].^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+ # To intend to convey: ''what do you mean?''^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+ # To intend: ''I meant to call''.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+ # To intend for a purpose: ''meant for each other''.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+ # To result in: ''this means trouble''.^(AHD)

+ # To matter to someone: ''it means a lot to me''.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Unkind or spiteful.^(AHD)^(NODE 1998)

+ # Ungenerous, stingy.^(AHD)^(MWU 2024)

+ # Poor, shabby: ''mean streets''.^(AHD)^(MWU 2024)

+ # ''(archaic)'' Of low rank.^(AHD)^(MWU 2024)

+ # Bad-tempered, vicious.^(AHD)

+ # ''(informal)'' Excellent: ''plays a mean guitar''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Midway between extremes; average: ''mean temperature''.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A middle point between extremes.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' An average value.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(means)'' A method of achieving something.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(means)'' Money or wealth.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[meanly]]

+ * [[meanness]]

+ * [[well-meaning]]

+ * [[mean-spirited]]

+ * [[meanie]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[median]]

+ * [[mediate]]

+ * [[mediation]]

+ * [[mediator]]

+ * [[mediocre]]

+ * [[mediocrity]]

+ * [[medium]]

+ * [[meaning]]

+ * [[means]]

+ * [[meantime]]

+ * [[meanwhile]]

+ * [[common]]

+ * [[moan]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Means'' meaning “money” takes a plural verb; meaning “a way to an end” it is singular for a single method and plural for several.^(AHD) Random House contrasts ''mean'' (petty and small-minded) with ''low'' (coarse), ''base'' (selfish or depraved) and ''sordid''.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}