• MEAN

1.

• adj.,
• Middle, intermediate, medius. In the mean time, interim (at some time during the interval: interim of a point of time; interea, of a space, Döderlein; but Vid: Pr. Intr., ii., note 7, p. 195): interea (during the same time, while a thing was going on; usually in connection with a conjunction; e.g., interea dum, or quod).
• Moderate, mediocris; modicus medius (in the Silver Age).
• Of inferior quality, vilis; tenuis; exiguus [Vid: BASE].
• Of small value, exiguus; parvus; levis; levidensis (Cic.).
• Of small importance, exiguus; tenuis; levis.
• Without dignity, humilis; ignobilis; obscurus, sordidus (very mean): to be of mean descent, ortum esse obscuro, humili, ignobili loco (Cic.); sordido loco ortum esse (Liv.).
• Low-minded, humilis; abjectus; illiberalis; sordidus.

2. s. The middle, mediocrity, mediocritas (☞ medium, as a substantive, is not Latin): temperamentum (the right measure, mediocritas, quae est inter nimium et parum; ☞ Ciceronian, but not common in the best prose): modus (e.g., extra modum prodire): the golden mean, aurea mediocritas (Hor., Od., 2, 10, 5): the mean is the best, medio tutissimus ibis (Ov., Met., 2, 137); mediocritas optima est: to keep or observe the mean, medium quiddam tenere; tenere mediocritatem, quae est inter nimium et parum; in anything, mediocritate moderari aliquid; temperamentum servare in aliqua re (Plin. Paneg., 3, in.).

3.

• v. To indicate, denote, indicare; significare; ostendere; portendere.
• To have a certain signification (of words), significare; valere; sonare: what does this word mean? quid sonat haec vox? quae vis est hujus vocis? sub hac voce quae subjicienda est vis?
• To understand, or design to signify, dicere; significare; velle: whom do we mean when we speak of a rich man? or, what do we mean by rich? quem intelligimus divitem? (Cic.)
• To purpose, intend, propositum habere aliquid; cogitare aliquid, or de aliqua re; quaerere aliquid; habere aliquid in animo est mihi aliquid in animo; velle.
• To signify, to be of a certain importance, vim quandam habere; momenti, discriminis, esse; aliquid esse: to mean nothing, nullius esse momenti; nullam habere vim.
• To be of a certain kind or tendency, sibi velle; e.g., hostes admiratio cepit, quidnam sibi repentinus clamor vellet (Liv., ; what it meant): quid ergo illae sibi volunt statuae inauratae? (what mean? Cic., Verr., 2, 61, 150).