Link Centre Dictionary

means

US/miːnz/ very common

noun

1.

how a result is obtained or an end is achieved

  • “a means of control”
  • “an example is the best agency of instruction”
  • “the true way to success”
Synonyms
2.
3.

considerable capital (wealth or income)

  • “he is a man of means”
Synonyms

Origin

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.

Phrases

  • independent means
  • live beyond one's means
  • man of means
  • not by any manner of means
  • of means
  • private means
  • ways and means
  • woman of means

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.