means
/miːnz/plural noun
1
- usu. treated as sing.（常作means of/to do something）an action or system by which a result is brought about; a method手段; 方法：
technology seen as a means to bring about emancipation
被视为解放手段的技术
resolving disputes by peaceful means.
通过和平手段解决争端。
2
- money; financial resources金钱; 收入：
a woman of modest but independent means
收入不多但经济上独立的女人
prospective students without the means to attend Cornell.
没有财力却想上康奈尔大学的学生。
2.1
- resources; capability办法; 手腕：
he has the means to kill every one of those people.
他有办法杀死所有那些人。
2.2
- wealth财富：
a man of means.
富人。
短语
beyond（或within）one's means
- beyond (or within) one's budget or income入不敷出（或力所能及）：
the government is living beyond its means.
政府已是入不敷出。
by all means
- of course; certainly (granting a permission)当然; 好的：
'May I make a suggestion?' 'By all means.'
“我可以提个建议吗？”“当然可以。”
by any means
- (following a negative) in any way; at all根本, 一点也［用于否定句］：
I'm not poor by any means.
我一点也不穷。
by means of
- with the help or agency of通过, 依靠：
supplying water to cities by means of aqueducts.
通过水渠将水输送到城市。
by no means（或by no manner of means）
- not at all; certainly not根本不, 一点也不：
the outcome is by no means guaranteed.
结果怎样根本没有保证。
means of grace
- Christian Theology the sacraments and other religious agencies viewed as the means by which divine grace is imparted to the soul, or by which growth in grace is promoted【基督教神学】蒙恩之道。
means of production
- (especially in a political context) the facilities and resources for producing goods生产资料。
a means to an end
- a thing that is not valued or important in itself but is useful in achieving an aim达到目标的途径：
higher education was seen primarily as a means to an end.
高等教育主要被看做实现理想的途径。
词源
late Middle English: plural of MEAN3, the early sense being 'intermediary'.