meaning

Word family  noun meaning adjective meaningful meaningless verb mean adverb meaningfully

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++mean·ing /ˈmiːnɪŋ/ ●●● S2 W1 noun  1  of a word/sign etc 关于词/符号等的 [countable, uncountable]MEANING the thing or idea that a word, expression, or sign represents 意义，意思，含义meaning of I don’t know the precise meaning of the word ‘gleaned’. 我不知道gleaned这个单词的确切意思。2  ideas in speech/book etc 演讲/书等中的观点 [countable, uncountable]MEANING the thoughts or ideas that someone wants you to understand from what they say, do, write etc 〔某人所说、所做、所写等想要表达的〕意思meaning of The meaning of her words was clear. We’d lost our jobs. 她的话意思很清楚，我们失业了。meaning behind She hardly dared to understand the meaning behind his statement. 她几乎不敢去想他话语背后的意思。3  what’s the meaning of this? spokenEXPLAIN used to demand an explanation 这是什么意思？〔用以要求作出解释〕 What’s the meaning of this? I asked you to be here an hour ago! 这是什么意思？我让你一小时之前就要到的！4  purpose/special quality 目标/特殊品质 [uncountable]PURPOSE the quality that makes life, work etc seem to have a purpose or value 〔生活、工作等的〕意义 Life seemed to have lost its meaning since Janet’s death. 珍妮特去世以后生活似乎失去了意义。 Her studies no longer seemed to have any meaning. 她的研究似乎不再有任何意义。 For many people it is religion that gives meaning to their existence. 对于很多人来说，是宗教使他们的存在有了意义。5  true nature 本质 [uncountable]MEANING the true nature and importance of something 〔某事物的〕意义，本质，重要性meaning of We seem to have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas. 我们似乎忘记了圣诞节的真正意义。6  (not) know the meaning of something UNDERSTANDto have, or not have, experience and understanding of a particular situation or feeling 对…（没）有体验和了解，（不）知道…的含义 Living in a war zone, the children knew the meaning of fear. 生活在战区，孩子们知道什么叫恐惧。 Guilty! She doesn’t know the meaning of the word! 内疚！她才不懂什么叫内疚呢！ COLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2verbshave a meaning 有含义The same word may have several different meanings. 同一个单词可能会有几个不同的含义。take on a meaning (=begin to have a new meaning) 开始具有一种新的含义The word ‘chaos’ has taken on a special scientific meaning. 单词chaos多了一种特殊的科学含义。understand the meaning 理解意思The pictures help the children understand the meanings of the words. 这些图片可以帮助孩子们理解单词的意思。know the meaning 知道意思Do you know the meaning of the word ‘paraphrase’? 你知道paraphrase这个单词的意思吗？get somebody’s meaning (also take somebody’s meaning British English) (=understand what someone is saying in an indirect way) 明白某人的意思He’s not like other people, if you get my meaning. 他跟别人不一样，你明白我意思吧。grasp the meaning (=begin to understand the meaning) 理解意思nShe suddenly grasped the meaning of his frantic gestures.carry meaning (also bear a meaning formal) (=have a meaning) 具有含义nIn conversation, even a pause may carry meaning.convey meaning (=express a meaning) 表达意思nthe use of hand signals to convey meaningadjectivesprecise/specific/exact 准确的/明确的/确切的The term ‘stress’ has a precise meaning to an engineer. 这个词对工程师来说有确切的含义。a hidden meaning 隐含的意思She felt there was a hidden meaning behind his words. 她觉得他话中有话。a double meaning (=two meanings at the same time) 双重含义Everything he said had a double meaning. 他每说一句话都语带双关。the literal meaning 字面意思The literal meaning of ‘telephone’ is ‘far-away sound’. telephone的字面意思是“远处的声音”。nthe ordinary meaningThey are a 'nuisance' in the ordinary meaning, not the legal meaning, of that word.the figurative/metaphorical meaning (=different from its usual or basic meaning) 比喻/隐喻意义nThe expression has a metaphorical meaning.somebody’s/something’s true meaning 某人的真正意思/某事物的真正意义nChildren understand the true meaning of these words.na symbolic meaning (=representing an idea)Colours often have symbolic meanings; for example, black signifies grief in Western cultures.n THESAURUSSense 2meaning the thoughts or ideas that someone wants you to understand from what they say, do, write etcWhat do you think is the meaning of the poem?the gist the main idea and meaning of something such as an article or a speechRead the story quickly first, just to get the gist of it.I think I understand the gist of what you’re saying. the drift/your drift the main set of ideas involved in something such as an explanation, argument, or account of something – often used when the ideas are not stated directlyThe drift of his letter is that he wants to come back.I don’t quite follow your drift. the essence the most important meaning of something such as an argument or piece of writingThe essence of what he is saying is that human character is formed by society.the thrust the most important message of an argument, explanation etc, especially when it consists of a set of connected ideas leading to a final answer or ideaThe overall thrust of her argument is that we need to do more to protect our environment.the substance formal the most important ideas contained in an argument or piece of writingThe substance of Marx’s views is the same in both of these books.His article lacks substance (=there are no interesting or important ideas in it).the implication the meaning of what someone says, writes etc that is not stated directly, but that people are expected to understandThe implication was that they did not consider Harrison to be trustworthy.

Examples from the Corpus

meaning• We convey meaning not only by our words but also by our actions.• This word 'spring' has several different meanings.• Words associated with women are sexualized so that apparently equivalent terms acquire very different meanings.• There is a further meaning to be discovered in the shepherds.• Was there a hidden meaning behind his words?• Peter read the letter twice before its meaning sank in.• So the notion that pragmatics might be the study of aspects of meaning not covered in semantics certainly has some cogency.• The same symbol can have more than one meaning, depending on the context in which it is used.• If action stems from subjective meanings, it follows that the sociologist must discover those meanings in order to understand action.• There is a chart that explains the meaning of all the symbols on the map.• The meaning of words changes every fifty years.• Children just beginning on their first language have to solve the problem of how forms map on to meanings.meaning of• The exact meaning of the king's statement was not clear.• Use the examples to figure out the meaning of the word.• We want children to remember the true meaning of Christmas.gives meaning to• This foundational belief gives meaning to the more popular belief in the right of the people to violence.• Linney and Ruffalo's relationship gives meaning to the phrase emotional intelligence.• But without another job, a hobby or some activity that gives meaning to their lives there is danger.true meaning• But the true meaning of the word entrepreneur is far broader.• He now knows the true meaning of annus horribilis.• The right legal answer, based on the true meaning of the Act, must be found and applied.• Father Tim saw at once that the truest meaning of the term captive audience was being demonstrated right before his eyes.• Even so, those with grace always know how to be graceful and she would probably understand the true meaning of the gesture.• It was too soon for anyone to understand the true meaning of what had happened.• The true meaning of love had nothing to do with possessing another person, settling down, marrying and having children.• A man needed special experience and insight to work true meanings out of certain murky remarks.

mean·ing noun →COLLOCATIONS1 →n THESAURUS1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable  

a sign or that word, or Corpus idea thing the expression,

meaning
mean‧ing S2 W1 /ˈmiːnɪŋ/ noun1.  OF A WORD/SIGN ETC  [uncountable and countable] the thing or idea that a word, expression, or sign represents
    meaning of
    I don’t know the precise meaning of the word ‘gleaned’.
2.  IDEAS IN SPEECH/BOOK ETC  [uncountable and countable] the thoughts or ideas that someone wants you to understand from what they say, do, write etc
    meaning of
    The meaning of her words was clear. We’d lost our jobs.
    meaning behind
    She hardly dared to understand the meaning behind his statement.
3. what’s the meaning of this? spoken used to demand an explanation:
    What’s the meaning of this? I asked you to be here an hour ago!
4.  PURPOSE/SPECIAL QUALITY  [uncountable] the quality that makes life, work etc seem to have a purpose or value:
    Life seemed to have lost its meaning since Janet’s death.
    Her studies no longer seemed to have any meaning.
    For many people it is religion that gives meaning to their existence.
5.  TRUE NATURE  [uncountable] the true nature and importance of something
    meaning of
    We seem to have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas.
6. (not) know the meaning of something to have, or not have, experience and understanding of a particular situation or feeling:
    Living in a war zone, the children knew the meaning of fear.
    Guilty! She doesn’t know the meaning of the word!
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meanings 1 & 2)

■ verbs
   ▪ have a meaning The same word may have several different meanings.
   ▪ take on a meaning (=begin to have a new meaning) The word ‘chaos’ has taken on a special scientific meaning.
   ▪ understand the meaning The pictures help the children understand the meanings of the words.
   ▪ know the meaning Do you know the meaning of the word ‘paraphrase’?
   ▪ get sb’s meaning (also take sb’s meaning British English) (=understand what someone is saying in an indirect way) He’s not like other people, if you get my meaning.
   ▪ grasp the meaning (=begin to understand the meaning) She suddenly grasped the meaning of his frantic gestures.
   ▪ carry meaning (also bear a meaning formal) (=have a meaning) In conversation, even a pause may carry meaning.
   ▪ convey meaning (=express a meaning) the use of hand signals to convey meaning
■ adjectives
   ▪ precise/specific/exact The term ‘stress’ has a precise meaning to an engineer.
   ▪ a hidden meaning She felt there was a hidden meaning behind his words.
   ▪ a double meaning (=two meanings at the same time) Everything he said had a double meaning.
   ▪ the literal meaning The literal meaning of ‘telephone’ is ‘far-away sound’.
   ▪ the ordinary meaning They are a 'nuisance' in the ordinary meaning, not the legal meaning, of that word.
   ▪ the figurative/metaphorical meaning (=different from its usual or basic meaning) The expression has a metaphorical meaning.
   ▪ sb’s/sth’s true meaning Children understand the true meaning of these words.
   ▪ a symbolic meaning (=representing an idea) Colours often have symbolic meanings; for example, black signifies grief in Western cultures.
     

THESAURUS

■ Sense 2
   ▪ meaning the thoughts or ideas that someone wants you to understand from what they say, do, write etc: What do you think is the meaning of the poem?
   ▪ the gist the main idea and meaning of something such as an article or a speech: Read the story quickly first, just to get the gist of it. | I think I understand the gist of what you’re saying.
   ▪ the drift/your drift the main set of ideas involved in something such as an explanation, argument, or account of something – often used when the ideas are not stated directly: The drift of his letter is that he wants to come back. | I don’t quite follow your drift.
   ▪ the essence the most important meaning of something such as an argument or piece of writing: The essence of what he is saying is that human character is formed by society.
   ▪ the thrust the most important message of an argument, explanation etc, especially when it consists of a set of connected ideas leading to a final answer or idea: The overall thrust of her argument is that we need to do more to protect our environment.
   ▪ the substance formal the most important ideas contained in an argument or piece of writing: The substance of Marx’s views is the same in both of these books. | His article lacks substance (=there are no interesting or important ideas in it).
   ▪ the implication the meaning of what someone says, writes etc that is not stated directly, but that people are expected to understand: The implication was that they did not consider Harrison to be trustworthy.