Meanings of "Mean" - English Expressions

In this lesson we're looking at the meaning of "Mean"

What does "mean" mean?

It means a few things. Let's start

When we ask "What do you mean?"

We're asking for more explanation. We're saying

I don't understand, please explain more

For example: if someone said to you

You know, if you give me £1,000, then I will give you £1,000,000

This makes no sense!

So maybe you want to say:

"That makes no sense, what do you mean!?"

Or maybe you want to translate something to your language

and you want to ask:

"Hmm in my language, what does blahblahblah mean?"

For example: "Hiccup"

What does "hiccup" mean? I don't understand this word

Hiccup means the...

This thing

Write in the comments, in your language

What does "hiccup" mean?

Another meaning of "mean"...

When you want to say something is your responsibility

There is an expectation of you to do something

For example: "I was meant to take my memory medicine, but I forgot!"

haha I'm sorry really bad joke

Another meaning of saying "to be meant to do something"

People use this also to talk about fate and destiny

When you want to say: "This is my fate! This is my destiny in life!"

"I am meant to do this thing"

For example: Who do you think is meant to sit on the Iron throne?

Another meaning of mean talks about the consequence of something

The result of some situation

For example every British person is asking this question...

"What does brexit mean for the UK?"

Well I have the answer

and the answer is...

(Cries like a baby)

Or perhaps a more common example, in a breakup

She says: "Hmm.. I'm leaving!"

And he wants to ask:

"What does this mean for us?"

He's asking "What is the result? what is the consequence

for us with you leaving?"

What's the result? What's the consequence?

What does this mean for us?! Me and you!?

And our cat?!

(Cries like an abandoned infant)

The next meaning of mean is the OPPOSITE to "nice" or "friendly"

it's the opposite to that

For example: If she is asking:

"Where did you buy the shirt? It looks cheap"

She's not being nice, she's not being friendly

TO BE MEAN

That means: The opposite of being friendly, the opposite of being nice

You're being bad to someone

You're making someone feel bad

Don't be mean to people!

The next meaning of mean. Something has a special significance to you

It is special to you in some way. For example:

Ahh that song: "Fuck tha police"

My mum used to sing it to me when I was a baby

It really means something to me!

A sad example: If your dog dies and all you have left is

this old dog bone that belonged to your dog

Maybe now this dog bone is special to you

So you can say: "This old dog toy means a

lot to me because my dog died"

(Cries like an injured dolphin)

If someone says: "I love you"

And you want to check if they're joking or if they're serious

You might want to ask: "Do you mean it?"

Remember: You're asking "Are you serious? Are you joking?

Is this real? Is that your intention by saying that?"

And sometimes they will mean it

and sometimes they will just be joking

like here

"He doesn't mean it" or in the past

"He didn't mean it"

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I mean it