mean
Low in quality or degreeLow in quality or degree; inferior; poor; shabby.
» I don't know what you mean.
Ich weiß nicht, was du meinst.
Я не понимаю, что ты имеешь в виду.
Я не знаю, что ты имеешь в виду.
Я не знаю, что вы имеете в виду.
Я не знаю, що ти маєш на увазі.
Meaning
14 sensesLow in quality or degree; inferior; poor; shabby.
a mean appearance
a mean dress
mittelmäßig
дряннойdrjannoj, низкокачественныйnizkokačestvennyj
Without dignity of mind; destitute of honour; low-minded; spiritless; base.
You hurt her feelings - that was a mean thing to do.
It was mean of you to steal that little girl's piggy bank.
gemein, böse
по́длыйpódlyj
Of little value or worth; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.
of no value or worth
(UK)Ungenerous; stingy; tight-fisted.
He's so mean. I've never seen him spend so much as five pounds on presents for his children.
скупойskupoj, прижимистыйprižimistyj
Disobliging; pettily offensive or unaccommodating.
Intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise; bearing ill will towards another.
Watch out for her: she's mean. I said good morning to her, and she punched me in the nose.
gemein
злойzloj, зло́бныйzlóbnyj
Powerful; fierce; strong.
It must have been a mean typhoon that levelled this town.
мощныйmoščnyj, разрушительныйrazrušitelʹnyj
(colloquial)Hearty; spicy.
(colloquial)Accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with.
Your mother can roll a mean cigarette.
He hits a mean backhand.
классныйklassnyj, первоклассныйpervoklassnyj
(childish, informal, often)Difficult, tricky.
This problem is mean!
(not comparable)Having the mean as its value; average.
The mean family has 2.4 children.
Mittel-
сре́днийsrédnij
сере́днійserédnij
approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value
(obsolete)Common; general.
Examples
4315 sentencesI don't know what you mean.
Я не знаю, що ти маєш на увазі.
ruЯ не понимаю, что ты имеешь в виду.
deIch weiß nicht, was du meinst.
I didn't mean to hurt you.
Я не хотів тебе образити.
ruЯ не хотел причинить тебе боль.
deIch wollte dir nicht weh tun.
I don't get what you mean.
Не розумію, що ти маєш на увазі.
ruЯ не понимаю, что вы имеете в виду.
deIch weiß nicht, was du meinst.
I didn't mean to do that.
Я не хотів цього робити.
ruЯ не собирался этого делать.
deDas war nicht meine Absicht.
I meant it as a joke.
Це був лише жарт.
ruЯ просто пошутил.
deDas sollte ein Witz sein.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 7
By meaning 3
Origin
From Middle English mene, imene, from Old English mǣne, ġemǣne (“common, public, general,From Middle English mene, imene, from Old English mǣne, ġemǣne (“common, public, general, universal”), from Proto-West Germanic *gamainī, from Proto-Germanic *gamainiz (“common”), from Proto-Indo-European *mey- (“to change, exchange, share”). Doublet of common.
From Middle English meene, borrowed from Old French meien (French moyen), Late Latin mediānus (“that is in the middle, middle”), from Latin medius (“middle”). Cognate with mid. For the musical sense, compare the cognate Italian mezzano. Doublet of median and mizzen.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
meaner, meanestSynonyms
139 synonyms- (used of persons or behavior) characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity:mingymiserlytight
- of no value or worth:bastardly
- (used of sums of money) so small in amount as to deserve contempt:beggarly
- characterized by malice:hateful
- having or showing an ignoble lack of honor or morality:basemeanspirited
- approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value:average
Antonyms
6 antonymsWord family
42 related wordsLessons for this word
2 lessons- A2Comparatives — Because it has a comparative form
- A2Superlatives — Because it has a superlative form
Collocations
12 patterns- didn't mean to
- really mean
- mean to imply
- mean to hurt
- meant to do
- the meaning of
- been meaning to
- really meant what
- so mean to
- does that mean
- mean by that
- really mean that