ME'ANING, participle present tense Having in mind; intending; signifying. ME'ANING, noun That which exists in the mind, view or contemplation as a settled aim or purpose, though not directly expressed. We say, this or that is not his meaning 1. Intention; purpose; aim; with reference to a future act. I am no honest man, if there by any good meaning towards you. 2. Signification. What is the meaning of all this parade? The meaning of a hieroglyphic is not always obvious. 3. The sense of words or expressions; that which is to be understood; signification; that which the writer or speaker intends to express or communicate. Words have a literal meaning or a metaphorical meaning and it is not always easy to ascertain the real meaning 4. Sense; power of thinking. [Little used.]
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI