meaning

meaning
1 /'mi:nIN/ noun
1 OF A WORD/SIGN ETC (C, U) the thing or idea that a word, expression, or sign represents
(+ of): Can you explain the meaning of this word? | The expression has two very different meanings in English.
2 OF WHAT SB SAYS (U) the things or ideas that someone wants you to understand from what they say
(+ of): We couldn't work out the meaning of this last remark. | get/catch/understand sb's meaning (=understand what they are trying to tell you): Barry could make things pretty unpleasant for us, if you get my meaning.
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 OF A BOOK/FILM ETC (U) the ideas that a writer, artist etc wants to show in a book, picture, film etc
5 PURPOSE/SPECIAL QUALITY (U) the quality that makes something seem important and makes people feel that their life, work etc has a purpose and value: lose its meaning: Life seemed to have lost its meaning since Janet's death. | have meaning: Her studies no longer seemed to have any meaning.
6 TRUE NATURE (U) the true nature and importance of something
(+ of): I was starting to realize the full meaning of the night's events.
7 (not) know the meaning of to (not) have experience and understanding of a particular situation or feeling: Living in that area, they knew the meaning of fear. | "Guilty, she doesn't know the meaning of the word!"
2 adjective a meaning look/expression a look that expresses a particular feeling strongly

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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