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| mean [ meen ] (comparative mean·er, superlative mean·est) |
adjective |
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| Definition: |
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1. unkind: unkind or malicious
  You hurt her feelings - that was a mean thing to do.
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2. bad-tempered: behaving in an angry, often violent way
He can be pretty mean at times.
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3. shabby: shabby and poor-looking
streets full of small mean houses
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4. excellent: excellent or skillful
(
informal
)
He plays a mean sax.
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5. base: base or unworthy
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6. humble: of low social position
(
archaic
)
living among the poor and mean
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7. uncomfortable: uncomfortable or disagreeable
This is the meanest climate I've ever lived in.
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8. not generous: unwilling to spend money on other people
the meanest person I know
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| [ Old English māne< gemāne "shared by everyone" < Germanic] |
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| mean·ly adverb |
| mean·ness noun |
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| Word Key: Synonyms |
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mean, nasty, vile, low, base, ignoble
CORE MEANING: below normal standards of decency
mean unkind or malicious;
All he does is give me a hard time. He's got to be the meanest man I've ever had the misfortune to work for.
nasty showing spitefulness or malice;
She's got a nasty streak.
a nasty snide way of putting things
vile despicable or shameful;
vile manners
a vile unspeakable act
low without principles or morals;
How could he be so low as to make political mileage out of last week's tragedy?
base lacking proper social values or moral principles;
baser instincts
ignoble dishonorable and contrary to the high standards of conduct expected of somebody;
Can you assure us that these confidential communications were not ultimately put to any ignoble use? |
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