Basic+ Word of the Day: mean

mean (adjective, verb)

Children can be mean.

We use the word mean to talk about how we should understand something.

• The word "enormous" means very big.
• This sign means you can't smoke here.

We can also use mean to talk about what we wanted someone to understand when we said something.

• I didn't mean that you should leave.

If you mean to do something, you are saying that you want to do it.

• He didn't mean to make you sad.

A mean person is someone who isn’t nice to others.

• There's a very mean boy in my class.

Common uses

If we make a mistake when we are speaking, we often say “I mean…” before we correct the mistake. For example, “Jack is a very good girl. I mean, boy!”

In pop culture

Do you know the Taylor Swift song “Mean”? It is about being strong when someone is mean to you. She feels better because she will have a good life but the mean person will always be mean; listen to her say, “All you’re ever gonna be is mean.”

There are other meanings of mean.