Mean
King James Dictionary [1]
MEAN, a. L. communis, vulgus, minor and minuo.
1. Wanting dignity low in rank or birth as a man of mean parentage,mean birth or origin. 2. Wanting dignity of mind low minded base destitute of honor spiritless.
Can you imagine I so mean could prove,
To save my life by changing of my love?
3. Contemptible despicable.
The Roman legions and great Caesar found
Our fathers no mean foes.
4. Of little value low in worth or estimation worthy of little or no regard.
We fast, not to please men, nor to promote any mean worldly interest.
5. Of little value humble poor as a mean abode a mean dress.
MEAN, a. L. medium, medius.
1. Middle at an equal distance from the extremes as the means distance the mean proportion between quantities the mean ratio.
According to the fittest style of lofty, mean, or lowly.
2. Intervening intermediate coming between as in the mean time or while.
MEAN, n. The middle point or place the middle rate or degree mediocrity medium. Observe the golden mean.
There is a mean in all things.
But no authority of gods or men
Allow of any mean in poesy.
1. Intervening time interval of time interim meantime.
And in the mean, vouchsafe her honorable tomb.
Here is an omission of time or while.
2. Measure regulation. Not in use. 3. Instrument that which is used to effect an object the medium through which something is done.
The virtuous conversation of christians was a mean to work the conversion of the heathen to Christ.
In this sense, means, in the plural,is generally used, and often with a definitive and verb in the singular.
By this means he had them more at vantage.
A good character,when established, should not be rested on as an end, but employed as a means of doing good.
4. Means, in the plural, income, revenue, resources, substance or estate, considered as the instrument of effecting any purpose. He would have built a house, but he wanted means.
Your means are slender.
5. Instrument of action or performance.
By all means, without fail. Go, by all means.
By no means, not at all certainly not not in any degree.
The wine on this side of the lake is by no means so good as that on the other.
By no manner of means, by no means not the least.
By any means, possibly at all.
If by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead. Philippians 3
Meantime
Meanwhile, in the intervening time. In this use of these words there is an omission of in or in the in the meantime.
MEAN, pret. and pp. meant pronounced ment. L. mens Eng.mind L. intendo, propono.
1. To have in the mind, view or contemplation to intend.
What mean you by this service? Exodus 12
2. To intend to purpose to design, with reference to a future act.
Ye thought evil against me, but God meant it for good. Genesis 1
3. To signify to indicate.
What mean these seven ewe lambs? Genesis 21
What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? 1 Samuel 4
Go ye, and learn what that meaneth-- Matthew 9
MEAN, To have thought or ideas or to have meaning.
Webster's Dictionary [2]
(1): ( a.) Intermediate in excellence of any kind.
(2): ( superl.) Of little value or account; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.
(3): ( v. t.) To have in the mind, as a purpose, intention, etc.; to intend; to purpose; to design; as, what do you mean to do ?
(4): ( n.) Meantime; meanwhile.
(5): ( n.) A part, whether alto or tenor, intermediate between the soprano and base; a middle part.
(6): ( a.) Average; having an intermediate value between two extremes, or between the several successive values of a variable quantity during one cycle of variation; as, mean distance; mean motion; mean solar day.
(7): ( superl.) Penurious; stingy; close-fisted; illiberal; as, mean hospitality.
(8): ( superl.) Of poor quality; as, mean fare.
(9): ( n.) A quantity having an intermediate value between several others, from which it is derived, and of which it expresses the resultant value; usually, unless otherwise specified, it is the simple average, formed by adding the quantities together and dividing by their number, which is called an arithmetical mean. A geometrical mean is the square root of the product of the quantities.
(10): ( n.) That through which, or by the help of which, an end is attained; something tending to an object desired; intermediate agency or measure; necessary condition or coagent; instrument.
(11): ( superl.) Wanting dignity of mind; low-minded; base; destitute of honor; spiritless; as, a mean motive.
(12): ( a.) Occupying a middle position; middle; being about midway between extremes.
(13): ( n.) Hence: Resources; property, revenue, or the like, considered as the condition of easy livelihood, or an instrumentality at command for effecting any purpose; disposable force or substance.
(14): ( n.) A mediator; a go-between.
(15): ( v. t.) To signify; to indicate; to import; to denote.
(16): ( superl.) Destitute of distinction or eminence; common; low; vulgar; humble.
(17): ( v. i.) To have a purpose or intention.
(18): ( n.) That which is mean, or intermediate, between two extremes of place, time, or number; the middle point or place; middle rate or degree; mediocrity; medium; absence of extremes or excess; moderation; measure.
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words [3]
lit., "without mark" (a, negative, sema, "a mark"), i.e., "undistinguished, obscure," was applied by the Apostle Paul negatively, to his native city, Tarsus, Acts 21:39 . Moulton and Milligan (Vocab.) have a note as follows: "This word occurs perpetually in the papyri to denote a man who is 'not distinguished' from his neighbors by the convenient scars on eyebrow or arm or right shin, which identify so many individuals in formal documents." Deissmann suggests that the word may have been the technical term for "uncircumcised," among the Greek Egyptians. In another papyrus document a pair of silver bracelets are described as of "unstamped" (asemos) silver.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [4]
mēn : The noun "meaning" ( Daniel 8:15 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "I sought to understand"; and 1 Corinthians 14:11 ) is synonymous with "signification" but in 1 Macc 15:4 the King James Version it expresses "purpose" (the Revised Version (British and American) "I am minded to land"). The noun "mean" in Hebrew always occurs in the plural, and is generally used in the sense of "agency," "instrument" (compare 1 Kings 10:29 , etc.). the Revised Version (British and American) very frequently changes, King James Version: The Wisdom of Solomon 8:13, "because of her"; 2 Thessalonians 2:3 , "in any wise"; Luke 8:36 , "how"; Proverbs 6:26 , "on account of"; Revelation 13:14 , "by reason of" (compare also 2 Thessalonians 3:16; John 9:21 ). Hebrews 9:15 (the King James Version "that by means of death") translates literally, "that a death having taken place," from γίνομαι , gı́nomai , "to become," "to happen." Acts 18:21 the King James Version, "I must by all means keep this feast," is omitted in the Revised Version (British and American) in harmony with several cursives, the Vulgate, and some other versions
The adjective "mean" is used in the sense of "common," "humble" ( אדם , 'ādhām , "man"; compare Isaiah 2:9; Isaiah 5:15; Isaiah 31:8 omits "mean"). It is also used in the sense of "obscure" ( Proverbs 22:29 , חשׂך , ḥāshōkh , "obscure"; ἄσημος , ásēmos , literally, "without a mark," "unknown," Acts 21:39 ). "Mean" is found in expressions like "in the meanwhile" (the King James Version 1 Kings 18:45 , the Revised Version (British and American) "little while"; John 4:31; Romans 2:15 , the Revised Version (British and American) "one with another"); "in the meantime" (1 Macc 11:41 the King James Version; Luke 12:1 ); and "in the mean season" the King James Version (1 Macc 11:14; 15:15). The adverb "meanly" is found (2 Macc 15:38) in the sense of "moderately."
The verb "mean" expresses purpose ( Isaiah 3:15; Isaiah 10:7; Genesis 50:20 , etc.). In some cases the Revised Version (British and American) renders literal translation: Acts 27:2 , "was about to sail" (the King James Version "meaning to sail"); compare Acts 21:13; 2 Corinthians 8:13 . In other instances the idea of "to mean" is "to signify," "to denote" ( 1 Samuel 4:6; Genesis 21:29; Matthew 9:13 , etc.). Luke 15:26 translates literally, "what these things might be." In Exodus 12:26 the sense of "mean ye" is "to have in mind."
