English Dictionary
Definition mean in British English
mean
adjective
What are red words?
Around 90% of spoken and written English relies on just 7,500 common words.
These words are highlighted in red and are ranked using a star system.
- One-star words are commonly used
- Two-star words are even more common
- Three-star words are the most frequently used
adjective
What are red words?
Around 90% of spoken and written English relies on just 7,500 common words.These words are highlighted in red and are ranked using a star system.
- One-star words are commonly used
- Two-star words are even more common
- Three-star words are the most frequently used
Differences between British and American English: mean
In the UK, mean usually describes someone who is not generous or does not like spending money: He’s too mean to give a large donation. The usual American word for this is cheap. In the US, mean usually describes someone or something that is unkind, cruel, or violent: It’s mean of you to ignore her.
Don't be so mean to your sister.
She was too mean to put the heating on.
typical of the living conditions and environment of poor people
mean streets
calculated by adding several numbers together and dividing the total by the original number of things you added together
Related Words
Words related to mean: