I mean

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

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Particle

I mean

1. Used to correct an error or slip of the tongue.
2. (colloquial) A delaying filler.
   • 2011, Jeremy Robert Hall, Summer Days:

     They were filth, utter filth. I mean, and this tops it. She even bought the video of her sister dying, or at least the sex act that killed her.

   • 2019 October 13, Jack Freeman (interviewer), “Everything Brian Kelly said after Notre Dame's win over USC”, 247Sports, IrishIllustrated.com:

     Q. [...] To rush for 306 yards against that group, how did you accomplish that?
     BRIAN KELLY: Well, look, I mean, I could stand up here and BS you guys all day and tell you we're the second coming of the Green Bay Packers rushing attack.

3. (colloquial) A mild intensifier.

   I must say the title puts me off as well. I mean, come on. Is this supposed to be original or creative?

4. (colloquial) An indication of approximation or uncertainty.

   I mean, it very well could be.

Synonyms

• (delaying filler): like, well, you know
• (mild intensifier): like, well, you know
• (indicating approximation or uncertainty): like, well, you know

Translations

delaying filler

• Arabic: يعني
• Esperanto: nu (eo)
• Finnish: siis (fi)
• Hungarian: vagyis (hu), úgy értem, akarom mondani
• Polish: no wiesz, to znaczy (pl), cóż (pl)

mild intensifier

• Esperanto: do (eo)
• Finnish: siis (fi)
• Hungarian: azért (hu), mégiscsak (hu)
• Polish: no wiesz

indicating approximation or uncertainty

• Arabic: يعني
• Esperanto: hm, eble
• Finnish: noin (fi)
• Hungarian: úgy értem, mármint (hu), akarom mondani
• Polish: w sumie (pl), to znaczy (pl), znaczy się

Anagrams

• maine, amine, animé, manie, Maine, minæ, minae, -amine, Emina, anime