mean

3
[ meen ]
/ min /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR mean ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

adjective

occupying a middle position or an intermediate place, as in kind, quality, degree, or time: a mean speed; a mean course; the mean annual rainfall.

Idioms for mean

Origin of mean

3
1300–50; Middle English mene < Middle French meen, variant of meien < Latin mediānus; see median

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH mean

mean median

Words nearby mean

mealworm, mealy, mealy bug, mealy-mouthed, mealybug, mean, mean anomaly, mean business, mean calorie, mean cell hemoglobin, mean cell hemoglobin concentration

Words related to by all means

fine, okay, terribly, distinctly, downright, clearly, positively, really, determinedly, unmistakably, good, amen, yea, affirmative, true, emphatically, certainly, definitely, indeed, indubitably

British Dictionary definitions for by all means (1 of 3)

mean 1
/ (miːn) /

verb means, meaning or meant (mainly tr)

Word Origin for mean

Old English mænan; compare Old Saxon mēnian to intend, Dutch meenen

usage for mean

In standard English, mean should not be followed by for when expressing intention: I didn't mean this to happen (not I didn't mean for this to happen)

British Dictionary definitions for by all means (2 of 3)

mean 2
/ (miːn) /

adjective

Derived forms of mean

meanly, adverb meanness, noun

Word Origin for mean

C12: from Old English gemǣne common; related to Old High German gimeini, Latin communis common, at first with no pejorative sense

British Dictionary definitions for by all means (3 of 3)

mean 3
/ (miːn) /

noun

the middle point, state, or course between limits or extremes
moderation
maths
  1. the second and third terms of a proportion, as b and c in a/b = c/d
  2. another name for average (def. 2) See also geometric mean
statistics a statistic obtained by multiplying each possible value of a variable by its probability and then taking the sum or integral over the range of the variable

adjective

intermediate or medium in size, quantity, etc
occurring halfway between extremes or limits; average
See also means

Word Origin for mean

C14: via Anglo-Norman from Old French moien, from Late Latin mediānus median

Medical definitions for by all means

mean
[ mēn ]

n.

Something having a position, quality, or condition midway between extremes; a medium.
A number that typifies a set of numbers, such as a geometric mean or an arithmetic mean.
The average value of a set of numbers.

adj.

Occupying a middle or intermediate position between two extremes.
Intermediate in size, extent, quality, time, or degree; medium.

Scientific definitions for by all means

mean
[ mēn ]

A number or quantity having a value that is intermediate between other numbers or quantities, especially an arithmetic mean or average. See more at arithmetic mean.
Either the second or third term of a proportion of four terms. In the proportion 23 = 46, the means are 3 and 4. Compare extreme.

Cultural definitions for by all means (1 of 2)

mean

An average in statistics. (See under “Physical Sciences and Mathematics.”)

Cultural definitions for by all means (2 of 2)

mean

In statistics, an average of a group of numbers or data points. With a group of numbers, the mean is obtained by adding them and dividing by the number of numbers in the group. Thus the mean of five, seven, and twelve is eight (twenty-four divided by three). (Compare median and mode.)

Idioms and Phrases with by all means (1 of 2)

by all means
1

Also, by all manner of means. In every possible way, as in I plan to make use of him by all means. [Late 1400s]

2

Also, by all manner of means. Without fail, at any cost, as in Losing the contract is to be avoided by all means. [c. 1600]

3

Certainly, yes, as in Are you coming tonight?—By all means, I'll be there. [Late 1600s] Also see by any means; by no means.

Idioms and Phrases with by all means (2 of 2)

mean