1. vt.表示…的意思　 be a sign of
2. vt.本意是，原意为　 have in mind as a purpose; intend
3. vt. & vi.有某种重要性　 be of importance to the stated degree

　～ business　当真
　～ consent　意味着同意
　～ rain　意味着有雨
　～ success　意味着成功
　～ war　预示着战争
　～ youth　意味着年轻
　～ a great deal　表示很多意思
　～ little　毫无意义
　～ much　意味深长
　～ well　怀着好意
　～ abominably　极坏地打算
　～ bitterly　极为失望地打算
　～ brutally　残忍地打算
　～ cruelly　残忍地打算
　～ despicably　卑鄙地打算
　～ disgracefully　使人丢脸地打算
　～ greedily　贪婪地打算
　～ horribly　令人恐怖地打算
　～ incredibly　令人难以置信地打算
　～ maliciously　恶毒地打算
　～ outrageously　残暴地打算
　～ selfishly　自私地打算
　～ shamefully　可耻地打算
　～ stingily　小气地打算
　～ terribly　可怕地打算
　～ unbelievably　令人难以相信地打算
　～ viciously　邪恶地打算
　～ as　出于…之意
　～ by　意思是，意味着
　～ for　针对
　～ to　对…有意义

　He means ill towards us.　他对我们怀着恶意。
　He means well.　他心存良善。
　The German word ya means "yes".　德语ya这个词的意思是“是的”。
　The red light means "Stop".　红灯就是“停”。
　In this poem the budding flower means youth.　在这首诗里含苞欲放的花朵是指青春。
　What does this word mean?　这个词是什么意思?
　Silence means consent.　沉默意味着同意。
　I did not mean you.　我不是指你。
　She said Tuesday, but meant Thursday.　她想说星期四却说成了星期二。
　Nonsense! He never meant anything of this sort.　别胡说！他从来没有这种意思。
　He's very angry, and means trouble.　他非常生气，有意要找麻烦。
　In running a company, strict financial management means everything.　经营一家公司，严格的财务管理是至关重要的。
　The weather will mean long traffic delays.　这种天气会造成长时间的交通阻断。
　A damp breeze from the sea usually means rain.　带有潮气的海风往往是有雨的征兆。
　Poor teeth mean poor digestion and poor digestion means poor nutrition.　牙齿不好就意味着消化不好，而消化不好就意味着营养吸收不好。
　Do you mean to tell me you don't care for modern art?　你的意思是告诉我你不喜欢现代艺术，是不是?
　I didn't mean to say we were perfect.　我并不是说我们已十全十美了。
　I am terribly sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you.　真对不起，我并非有意打扰你。
　I have always meant to get it repaired.　我一直想请人修一修的。
　I had meant to call you, but I was so busy.　我是想来看望你的，但是，我太忙了。
　I meant to buy a morning paper but I didn't see any newsboy around.　我打算买一份晨报，但周围看不见有报童。
　We meant to have gone to see him.　我们本来打算去看看他的。
　I mean to go there next year.　我打算明年到那儿去。
　I mean to stay here, if I can.　若是能留下，我想留在这儿。
　How long do you mean to stay in Beijing?　你打算在北京住多久?
　He means to succeed.　他想要获得成功。
　What do you mean to do with it?　你打算怎样处理它?
　Missing the train, he means to wait for an hour.　赶不上这列火车他打算再等一个小时。
　These new orders for our manufacturers will mean working overtime.　这些订购我们产品的新订单意味着要加班。
　Independence does not mean shutting the door to the world.　独立自主并不是闭关自守。
　To raise wages means increasing purchasing power.　提高工资就意味着提高购买力。
　The sign means that cars cannot enter.　这种标志表示汽车不能入内。
　Do you mean that I am an individualist?　你的意思是，我是个人主义者?
　He didn't express himself very clearly, but he means that he wants your help.　他没有表达得很清楚，可他的意思是他需要你的帮助。
　This means that the boy may be out of a job for some time.　这意味着这个男孩子有一段时间要没有工作。
　That expression means that he is angry.　那表情意味着他生气了。
　The shooting stopped, which meant that the bandit gang had been destroyed.　枪声停止了，说明这帮匪徒已被消灭。
　It doesn't mean what you thought it meant.　它不表示你认为它表示的那个意思。
　He means you no harm.　他对你没有恶意。
　Although he seems angry with his son, he means him nothing but good.　他似乎对儿子很生气，但他只是想让他好。
　She meant this gift for you.　这礼物是送给你的。
　I meant it for your good.　我是为了你的利益着想。
　This warning was meant for you.　这警告是冲着你来的。
　Some of the jokes in this play are not meant for children's ears.　剧里的一些玩笑不适合让孩子们听。
　No one meant him to be a great man.　没人要他成为伟人。
　I wasn't serious, I meant it as a joke.　我并非有意，我只是想开个玩笑而已。
　He believes he is meant to be a great man.　他相信他生来就是要当伟人的。
　He was meant to be a lawyer by his parents.　他父母期望他能当律师。
　I mean you to do the exercise by yourself.　我是要你独自完成作业。
　She meant us to help her.　她想让我们帮助她。
　Did you mean us to know?　你是有意让我们知道吗?
　We didn't mean you to go out alone.　我们不想让你一个人出去。
　I didn't mean him to come so early.　我没有要他来得这么早。
　We never meant you to spend your time like that.　我们从来没打算让你把时间这样花掉。
　He meant himself to do his best.　他要自己尽最大的努力。
　Books are meant to be read.　书就是让人读的。
　He was meant to do his best by everyone.　人人都期望他能尽力。
　You're meant to take your shoes off when you enter a Hindu temple.　你进入印度寺庙时应该脱掉鞋子。

 ♣ be meant for
　命中注定　be intended by or as if by fate for a way of life
　He seems to have been meant for the Church from an early age.　他从小就好像注定要过当牧师的生活。
　I was never meant for the army.　我根本就不是当兵的料。
 ♣ I mean
　我的意思是　what my mean is
　He's really very rude; I mean, he never says "Good morning".　他实在非常粗鲁，我的意思是他从来不说“早安”。
　She plays the violin, I mean the viola, really well.　她的小提琴，我是指中提琴，的确拉得很好。
　He can't be allowed to behave like that; I meant to say, he's a grown man.　不应该准许他有那样的举止，我是说他已经是成年人了。
　I mean that all glitters is not gold.　我是说，不是所有闪光的东西都是金子。
　I mean that he is a swindler.　我的意思是说，他是个骗子。
　I mean that it is impossible.　我的意思是说那不可能。
　I mean that there should be no argument about this.　我的意思是不得对此事有任何争论。
 ♣ mean by　(v.+prep.)
　通过…表达　intend (a meaning) through or by means of sth
　I meant nothing by it at all.　我那么做毫无别的意思。
　He meant his love by giving flowers.　他通过送花来表达他的爱意。
 ♣ mean to　(v.+prep.)
　对…来说很重要…　express the idea of sth, as understood by sb
　Having my family around me means happiness to me.　家人同我在一起就意味着幸福。
　The smell means dinner to the dog!　对狗来说，这气味意味着进食！
　It was a worthless toy, but it meant a lot to the child.　这是一件毫无价值的玩具，但对这个孩子来说却很有意义。
　These symbols mean nothing to me.　我完全不明白这些符号是什么意思。
　Money means nothing to him.　金钱对他来说是无所谓的。
　He means no harm to anyone.　他无意伤害任何人。
 ♣ what do you mean
　你是什么意思　what are you going to do
　What do you mean, you don't like my cooking?　你是什么意思?你是不喜欢我做的饭?
　What do you mean by coming home so late?　你怎么竟敢这么晚才回家?

 ♣ mean, connote, denote, imply, indicate, signify, suggest, symbolize
　这组词的共同意思是“意指”。其区别是：
1. mean是普通用语，对于明确与否的观点、物品都可以用；suggest意为“具有…的含义”，暗示“表明”。例如：
　He claims to mean one thing, but his choice of words suggests quite another.　他宣称指的是一件事，而他的话却含有另外一个含义。
2. indicate与imply意为“说明，表明，象征”， indicate通常指明显、明确的事物。例如：
　A high fever indicates a severe illness.　高烧预示着要生病了。
　imply　通常指含蓄地、不明确地“暗示”。例如：
　His smile implied that he had forgotten all about the time.　他的笑预示着他完全忘记了时间。
3. denote与connote通常指明示的内容、含义，从外观上即可看出。例如：
　The word "lion" denotes〔connotes〕 a certain kind of animal.　“狮子”这个词指一种动物。
4. connote与suggest和imply有时可以替换，但connote的用法比其他两个词较为正式。例如：
　Hunger connotes〔suggests, implies〕 unhappiness.　饥饿就预示着不高兴。
5. signify与symbolize表示“意味，象征”， symbolize通常指用物、符号代表某物，着重表示抽象的概念。例如：
　What does this strange mark signify〔symbolize〕?　这个奇怪的符号代表什么?
6. signify有时可以和mean互换。例如：
　A red sunset signifies〔means〕 fine weather.　一轮火红的落日象征着一个好天气。
 ♣ mean, be going to, be thinking of, intend
　参见go条。
 ♣ mean, imply, involve
　参见involve条。

1. 如果这意味着要耽搁一个多星期，我就不等了。
　［误］ I won't wait if it means to delay more than a week or so.
　［正］ I won't wait if it means delaying more than a week or so.
　［析］ 在作“意味着”解时， mean后跟动名词，不跟动词不定式。
2. 有人认为，更严厉的惩罚会减少犯罪。
　［误］ Some people mean〔believe〕 that stricter punishments will reduce the amount of crime.
　［正］ Some people think that stricter punishments will reduce the amount of crime.
　［析］ mean表示“想表达（某种看法），意思是”；表示“认为，有某种看法”可用think或believe.
3. 他不是故意杀害她的儿子的。
　［误］ He did not mean to kill her son on purpose.
　［正］ He did not mean to kill her son.
　［正］ He did not kill her son on purpose.
　［析］ mean可表示“有…意图，打算”， on purpose与mean意思重复。
4. 我不是有意要伤害你的感情。
　［误］ I meant not to hurt your feelings.
　［正］ I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.
　［析］ mean后不可接否定的动词不定式。

　mean　有时还可用于mean for sb to-v句型，此时只用于美式英语。而有些语法学家认为这种用法不标准，学习者还是少用为好。例如：
　I didn't mean for her to tell him.　我并没有打算让她告诉他。

1. 吝啬的，自私的　 ungenerous; selfish
2. 卑鄙的，不善良的　 unworthy; unkind
3. 中间的，平均的　 midway between two extremes; average

　～ axis　中轴
　～ line　等分线
　～ opinion　轻视，看不起
　～ term　中项
　～ value　平均值
　abominably ～　自私可恶，平庸讨厌
　bitterly ～　极端可鄙
　brutally ～　蛮横可鄙
　cruelly ～　非常自私
　disgracefully ～　下贱丢脸
　greedily ～　贪得下贱
　selfishly ～　自私自利
　shamefully ～　卑劣可耻
　terribly ～　极度低劣
　treacherously ～　阴险卑鄙
　viciously ～　邪恶下贱
　～ to say that　这样说太坏了
　～ about　在…上吝啬的
　～ of　对…羞愧
　～ over　对…吝啬的
　～ to　对…不好的
　feel ～ with a cold　因伤风而感不适

　He is a mean man.　他是个自私的人。
　He looks like a mean character.　他看上去不似善类。
　What a mean revenge!　多么卑鄙的报复！
　That was a mean trick!　那是卑鄙的诡计。
　He's got a mean streak in him.　他生性有点刻薄。
　That's a mean dog.　那是一只恶狗。
　The shoes were of mean quality.　这些鞋子的质量很差。
　He is a man of mean birth.　他是位出身低微的人。
　This should be clear to the meanest intelligence.　这甚至对智力极低的人也应该是清楚的。
　They could only afford the meanest rooms in a poor area.　他们只住得起贫民区最简陋的房子。
　The meanest labourer has the same rights as the richest employer.　最贫贱的劳动者享有和最富的雇主同样的权利。
　The mean temperature of this area is 33 degrees in summer.　这个地区夏季平均气温为33度。
　The mean yearly rainfall is 20 inches.　平均年降雨量为20英寸。
　He's the last person I'll like, he's so mean and wicked.　他是我最不喜欢的人，他又卑鄙又邪恶。
　Corruption and bribery are mean.　贪污行贿是可鄙的。
　He is mean about money.　他吝啬钱。
　I feel rather mean for not helping more.　我未能多帮忙，十分抱歉。
　Don't be so mean to me.　不要对我这么刻薄。
　She apologized for having been so mean to me.　她因对我如此刻薄而表示歉意。
　She's too mean to make a donation.　她很小气，不肯捐款。
　It is mean to spread gossip about others.　散布有关他人的流言是卑鄙的。
　It was mean of her to say that.　她那样说是刻薄的。
　It was mean of you not to let the children play in the snow.　你不通人情，不让孩子们在雪地里玩。

 ♣ mean, base, low, vile
　参见low条。

1. C 中间，中庸　 condition, quality, course of action, etc. that is halfway between two extremes
2. C 平均数，平均值　 midway point, quantity, etc. between two extremes; average

　adopt the golden ～　遵循中庸之道
　find a ～　求平均值
　follow the golden ～　遵循中庸之道
　keep ～(s)　守中庸
　observe ～(s)　守中庸
　overstep the ～　越过平均线
　represent a ～ for　代表…的平均值
　take the ～　取得平均值
　arithmetic ～　等差，算术中项
　golden ～　中庸
　happy ～　中庸
　harmonic ～　调和中项
　national ～　全国平均数
　above ～　高出平均数

　The mean of 7, 9 and 14 is 10. 　7, 9和14的平均数为10。
　What you do first is to calculate the mean.　你所要做的第一件事就是要算出平均数。
　Her income is $3500 above the national mean.　她的收入比全国平均数高出3500美元。
　Can't we strike a mean and find a house that's not too big or to small?　难道我们不能采取折中办法，找一栋既不太大也不太小的房子吗?
　You must find a mean between frankness and rudeness.　你要在坦诚与唐突之间取其中。
　Eight hours is a happy mean between too much sleep and too little. 　8小时睡眠不算太多，也不算太少，正好。

 ♣ mean, average, median
　参见average条。

　［同义词］ v. expect, intend, plan, propose; denote, express, indicate, signify, suggest adj. miserly, selfish, tight
　［反义词］ adj. generous, openhanded