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| VERB |
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| /miːn/ |
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| 1 | to have a particular meaning 意思是；有…的意思 |
| The word means something different in French. 这个词在法语中有不同的意思。 |
| What does ‘pulchritude’ mean? 这个词是什么意思？ |
| mean sth by sth Everything depends on what you mean by the word ‘free’ . 一切取决于你用free这个词指什么意思。 |
| | 1a | to communicate a particular meaning , feeling , or piece of information 意指；意味 | | When you shake your head it usually means ‘no’ . 摇头通常意味着“反对”。 | | For most people, Paris means romance. 对大多数人来说，巴黎意味着浪漫。 | | His behaviour doesn’ t mean that he doesn’ t like you. 他的行为并不意味着他不喜欢你。 | | take sth to mean sth (=understand it to mean a particular thing) I took their silence to mean disapproval. 把…理解为… | |
| | 1b | to be evidence that something exists 表示；表明 | | That dark patch means that water is coming in. 那个黑块表明水正在流过来。 | | The look on her face meant only one thing – trouble. 她脸上的神色只能表明一件事——麻烦。 | |
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| 2 | to intend something bad or harmful 试图；图谋；企图 |
| I know they didn’ t mean our family any disrespect. 我知道他们并没打算对我们家表示任何的不敬。 |
| mean sb harm (=intend to harm them) She had never meant him any real harm. 试图伤害某人 |
| | 2a | to intend to do something , often something bad or wrong 试图做，打算做（坏事或错事） | | mean to do sth Whoops! I didn’ t mean to step on your toe. 啊呀！我不是故意踩你脚指头的。 | | I mean to leave that meeting with a new contract. 我打算会议结束后带走一份新合同。 | |
| | 2b | to want someone to do something , or to want something to happen to someone 想要；希望 | | mean sb to do sth It was our secret – I didn’ t mean you to tell him. 这是我们的秘密，我不想让你告诉他。 | | We didn’ t mean you to lose your job. 我们不想让你失去工作。 | |
| | 2c | to say something with a particular intention 有…的目的；意欲 | | mean sth as a joke/compliment/insult Don’ t be offended, she meant it as a compliment. 不要生气，她说这话是在夸奖你。 | |
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| 3 | to make something necessary or make it happen 使成为必要；使发生 |
| sth means doing sth The new agreement means accepting lower wages. 新协议是要人接受更低的工资。 |
| This development could mean that the lawsuit will be dropped. 这个新情况可能会使起诉撤销。 |
| PHRASES |
| - | be meant for sth/sb
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| 1 | to be intended or designed for something or someone 是为某物/某人准备（或设计）的 | The bigger offices are meant for senior staff only. 那些大一点的办公室是专给高级职员们用的。 | | These books are not meant for primary school students. 这些书不是为小学生编写的。 | |
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| 2 | to be suitable for something 适合某事物 | I don’ t think she’ s meant to be a teacher. 我认为她不适合当老师。 | |
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| 3 | if two people are meant for each other , they are suitable for each other as romantic partners （两人）适合做情侣 |
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| - | be meant to do sth
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| 1 | to have a particular responsibility or duty 有责任（或义务）做某事 | You were meant to keep the children out of trouble. 你有责任不让孩子们遇到麻烦。 | |
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| 2 | to have a particular purpose . This is sometimes used for suggesting that something does not succeed very well 有意（或打算）做某事（有时用于表示该事的结果不是很好） | It was meant to be an apology but it only made her angry. 这原本是为了道歉，但却只惹她生气。 | |
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| - | how do you mean? spoken
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| used for asking someone to explain what they have said |
| 你是什么意思？ |
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| - | I know what you mean spoken
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| used for telling someone that you understand their situation very well , often because you have had a similar experience |
| 我明白你的意思（用于告诉某人自己非常理解其处境，往往因为自己有相似的经历） |
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| - | I mean (to say) spoken
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| 1 | used for adding a comment or explaining what you have just said 我是说（用于补充评论或解释刚说过的话） | We couldn’ t live on that! I mean, it’ s ridiculous. 我们不能靠那活着！我是说，这很荒谬。 | |
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| 2 | used for correcting a mistake in something you have just said 我说的是（用于纠正刚说过的话中的错误） | Let’ s ask Mark. I mean Marco. 我们问马克吧。我说的是马可。 | |
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| - | I see what you mean spoken
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| used for telling someone that you understand what they are saying |
| 我知道你的意思 |
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| - | meanbusiness informal
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| to seriously intend to do what you say you will do |
| 说话算数；当真 |
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| They’ ve threatened to close us down, and I think they mean business. 他们威胁要让我们关门，我想他们是当真的。 |
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| - | mean sb/sth
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| to refer to someone or something when you are talking, looking, pointing etc at them |
| 指某人/某物 |
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| No, I don’ t mean her – I mean the tall woman. 不，我不是指她，我指的是那个高个女人。 |
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| - | mean nothing
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| to have no importance |
| 无所谓；不重要 |
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| After yesterday, your apologies mean nothing. 昨天之后，你的道歉就没有意义了。 |
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| - | mean something/everything/anything
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| 1 | to be important 重要 | She knows the children mean everything in the world to me. 她知道孩子对我就是一切。 | | It was just one little kiss and it didn’ t mean anything. 就一个小小的吻，没什么。 | |
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| 2 | to be familiar to someone 熟悉 | Does the name ‘Chris Hill’ mean anything to you? “克里斯·希尔”这个名字你熟悉吗？ | |
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| - | meant to be
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| used for talking about something that seems certain to happen , usually because it has been decided by God or other forces that people cannot control |
| 肯定（或注定）要发生 |
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| Oh well – it was just not meant to be. 噢，这个——它并不是注定要发生的。 |
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| - | meanwell
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| to intend something good , kind , or suitable , even though there is a bad result |
| 怀有好意；出于好心 |
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| I know she can be annoying but she means well. 我知道她可能讨人厌，但她是出于好心的。 |
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| - | what do you mean? spoken
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| 1 | used for asking someone to explain what they have said 你是什么意思？ |
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| 2 | used for showing that you are shocked or annoyed about something that someone has told you 你什么意思？（用于对某人所告之事表示震惊或厌烦） | What do you mean you can’ t find the keys? 找不到钥匙，你什么意思？ | |
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| - | (do) you mean...? spoken
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| used for saying what someone else has said using different words, as a way of asking them if you have understood it correctly |
| 你的意思是…？ |
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| You mean we do the work and you get the money? 你的意思是我们干活你拿钱？ |
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