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# meaning

noun (a meaning, meanings); adjective in «well-meaning»; verb form (mean, means, meant, meaning)

«meaning» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. The meaning of a word or sign is what it stands for or expresses. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meaning/#m1)
2. The meaning of something is its purpose or importance: the meaning of life, a life full of meaning. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meaning/#m2)
3. The hidden message or idea behind something: the meaning of a poem or a dream. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meaning/#m3)
4. «Meaning» is also the -ing form of «mean»: I've been meaning to call you (planning to). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meaning/#m4)

### In the lessons

In English lessons: look up the meaning of a word in a dictionary; words with more than one meaning. In maths: the meaning of a symbol (+ means add). In religion and ethics: the meaning of life, the meaning of a parable. Phrase: «I've been meaning to…» = I've wanted and planned to.

### Examples

- What is the meaning of «enormous»? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meaning/#x1)
- Some words have more than one meaning. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meaning/#x2)
- The red light has a clear meaning: stop! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meaning/#x3)
- We discussed the meaning of the poem. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meaning/#x4)
- Helping others gives her life meaning. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meaning/#x5)
- Jesus told parables with a deeper meaning. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meaning/#x6)
- I've been meaning to tidy my room all week. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meaning/#x7)
- A shrug can have many meanings. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meaning/#x8)
- He understood the gypsy woman's meaning now. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meaning/#x9)

### Note

Countable (meanings). Related: meaningful (important), meaningless (with no meaning or point), well-meaning (with good intentions). Maths: knowing the meaning of each symbol (=, \<, \>, ÷) is key to reading problems.

## In Jewish tradition

In English lessons: look up the meaning of a word in a dictionary; words with more than one meaning. In maths: the meaning of a symbol (+ means add). In religion and ethics: the meaning of life, the meaning of a parable. Phrase: «I've been meaning to…» = I've wanted and planned to.

### Examples

- The meaning of Belimah is more doubtful. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/meaning/#x1)
- What was intended was שְׁטוּחָה shetuchah, meaning ‘flat’. (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/meaning/#x2)
- 18) Meaning outlets, outgates of the creative power, formations. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/meaning/#x3)

### Note

Countable (meanings). Related: meaningful (important), meaningless (with no meaning or point), well-meaning (with good intentions). Maths: knowing the meaning of each symbol (=, \<, \>, ÷) is key to reading problems.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «meaning» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meaning/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«meaning» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/meaning.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «meaning» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/meaning/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«meaning» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/meaning.html) on Mova free.