In this lesson we're looking at the meaning of "Mean"
What does "mean" mean?
It means a few things. Let's start
When we ask "What do you mean?"
We're asking for more explanation. We're saying
I don't understand, please explain more
For example: if someone said to you
You know, if you give me £1,000, then I will give you £1,000,000
This makes no sense!
So maybe you want to say:
"That makes no sense, what do you mean!?"
Or maybe you want to translate something to your language
and you want to ask:
"Hmm in my language, what does blahblahblah mean?"
For example: "Hiccup"
What does "hiccup" mean? I don't understand this word
Hiccup means the...
This thing
Write in the comments, in your language
What does "hiccup" mean?
Another meaning of "mean"...
When you want to say something is your responsibility
There is an expectation of you to do something
For example: "I was meant to take my memory medicine, but I forgot!"
haha I'm sorry really bad joke
Another meaning of saying "to be meant to do something"
People use this also to talk about fate and destiny
When you want to say: "This is my fate! This is my destiny in life!"
"I am meant to do this thing"
For example: Who do you think is meant to sit on the Iron throne?
Another meaning of mean talks about the consequence of something
The result of some situation
For example every British person is asking this question...
"What does brexit mean for the UK?"
Well I have the answer
and the answer is...
(Cries like a baby)
Or perhaps a more common example, in a breakup
She says: "Hmm.. I'm leaving!"
And he wants to ask:
"What does this mean for us?"
He's asking "What is the result? what is the consequence
for us with you leaving?"
What's the result? What's the consequence?
What does this mean for us?! Me and you!?
And our cat?!
(Cries like an abandoned infant)
The next meaning of mean is the OPPOSITE to "nice" or "friendly"
it's the opposite to that
For example: If she is asking:
"Where did you buy the shirt? It looks cheap"
She's not being nice, she's not being friendly
TO BE MEAN
That means: The opposite of being friendly, the opposite of being nice
You're being bad to someone
You're making someone feel bad
Don't be mean to people!
The next meaning of mean. Something has a special significance to you
It is special to you in some way. For example:
Ahh that song: "Fuck tha police"
My mum used to sing it to me when I was a baby
It really means something to me!
A sad example: If your dog dies and all you have left is
this old dog bone that belonged to your dog
Maybe now this dog bone is special to you
So you can say: "This old dog toy means a
lot to me because my dog died"
(Cries like an injured dolphin)
If someone says: "I love you"
And you want to check if they're joking or if they're serious
You might want to ask: "Do you mean it?"
Remember: You're asking "Are you serious? Are you joking?
Is this real? Is that your intention by saying that?"
And sometimes they will mean it
and sometimes they will just be joking
like here
"He doesn't mean it" or in the past
"He didn't mean it"
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If you share this video, I will love you forever
I mean it