Means

//miːnz// name, noun, verb

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname. countable, uncountable
  2. 2
    An unincorporated community in Menifee County, Kentucky, United States. countable, uncountable
Noun
  1. 1
    plural of mean form-of, plural
  2. 2
    An instrument or condition to achieve a result.

    "She treated him as a means to an end."

  3. 3
    Financial resources; wealth. plural, plural-only, uncountable

    "a person of means; independent means"

  4. 4
    to have the ability to produce a particular effect or achieve an end wordnet
  5. 5
    Financial resources; wealth.; Substantial wealth. plural, plural-only, uncountable

    "She is a woman of means."

Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    an artifact (that is instrumental in accomplishing some end) for accomplishing some end wordnet
  2. 7
    considerable capital (wealth or income) wordnet
Verb
  1. 1
    third-person singular simple present indicative of mean form-of, indicative, present, singular, third-person

Etymology

Etymology 1

From mean (“method or course of action used to achieve some result”). Compare French moyens, German Mittel.

Etymology 2

From mean (“method or course of action used to achieve some result”). Compare French moyens, German Mittel.

Etymology 3

From mean (“method or course of action used to achieve some result”). Compare French moyens, German Mittel.

Etymology 4

From mean (“method or course of action used to achieve some result”). Compare French moyens, German Mittel.

Etymology 5

Various origins: * Reduced form of McMeans, a surname of Irish origin. * Habitational surname from the villages of East and West Meon, in Hampshire. * A nickname from Middle English mene (“inferior in rank”), which is from Old English ġemǣne (“common, general”), or Middle English mene (“moderate in behaviour”), which is from Old French mëen, mean.

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