What do you mean you're not mean? You're the meanest person I've ever met! If you take the average of all the people in the world, you're way meaner than the mean! & I mean that.
The word mean has lots of meanings (pun intended) & I hope to get to the bottom of how the definition "selfish in a petty way; unkind; cruel, spiteful, malicious" relates to "to intend to convey or indicate" & "to act as a symbol of; signify or represent." I know, one's a verb & the other's an adjective (the "mean" meaning "average" is a noun) but surely they're related. Aren't they?
I especially like the slightly old-fashioned (but prevalent in lots of blues songs) meaning of "mean" that's "low in social status; of humble origins." "Mean" can also mean "humiliated or ashamed" (just perfect for blues songs!) & "in poor physical condition; sick or debilitated," which I've never heard anyone else say ever.
I didn't mean to suggest you were mean in that first paragraph. It's not what I meant. I don't know what I meant. I might just have been acting mean.
& by "mean" I meant "excellent; skillful," as in "He plays a mean game of bridge"!
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