See Also: Means(medicine)
means(dictionary)
Means test(finance)
means test(dictionary)
WAYS AND MEANS(law)
Ways and Means Committee(dictionary)

means (oh)



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1 ?method?
2 ?money?
3 by all means!
4 by no means/not by any means
5 by means of something
6 a means to an end
7 the means of production
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?METHOD?
[C] a way of doing or achieving something
means of
::For most people, the car is still their main means of transport .
::The only means of communication was sign language.
::The window was our only means of escape .
::Do you have any means of identification ?
::art as a means of expression
::Homework should not be used as a means of controlling children.
::I had no means of telling him I would be late.
::Brian was prepared to use any means to get what he wanted.
::They had entered the country by unlawful means .
::the means by which performance is assessed
?MONEY?
[plural] the money or income that you have
have the means to do sth
::I don't have the means to support a family.
::Paying for your children to go to a private school is beyond the means of most people (=too expensive for most people) .
::Try to live within your means (=only spending what you can afford) .
::His father was a man of means (=a rich man) .
by all means!
spoken used to mean 'of course' when politely allowing someone to do something or agreeing with a suggestion
::'Can I bring Alan?' 'By all means!'
by no means/not by any means
not at all
::It is by no means certain that the game will take place.
::She's not a bad kid, by any means.
by means of sth
formal using a particular method or system
::The blocks are raised by means of pulleys.
a means to an end
something that you do only to achieve a result, not because you want to do it or because it is important
::For Geoff, the job was simply a means to an end.
the means of production
the material, tools, and equipment that are used in the production of goods
-see also ways and means at way 1 (1)
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COLLOCATES for sense 1
means of transport (=a way of travelling, for example using a car, bus, bicycle etc)
means of communication
means of escape
means of identification (=an official document that shows who you are)
means of expression (=a way of expressing your feelings, opinions etc)
a means of doing something
have no means of doing something
use any means (=use any method, even if it is illegal or causes harm to other people)
by unlawful/illegal/unfair means
(whether) by fair means or foul (=using unfair methods if necessary)