The word “mean” is used in a very wide range of contexts.
For instance, in math, the mean is the average of a set of numbers (e.g., “To calculate the mean of ten numbers, add them together and divide by ten).
“Mean time” (e.g., Greenwich Mean Time), is based on the average solar day. But bear in mind that meantime and mean time have different meanings.
In informal speech, “mean” is sometimes used as an adjective to describe something as excellent (e.g., “She plays a mean game of chess”).
The phrase mean streets is used to describe a socially deprived urban area that is often perceived as dangerous (e.g., “She comes from the mean streets of New York but now lives in a glittering Beverly Hills mansion.”
When used as a verb, “mean” refers to the act of conveying or expressing certain information (e.g., “I don’t know what that word means”).
You can use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to help you use the word “mean” correctly in your writing.