Page 283 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary
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mean for someone to do something


          mean business when we say you must stop  ing to cook up somłthing special for the
          all this nonsense.                 Wiloons.  They  are  strictly  meat-and-
                                             potatoes.
        mean for someone tł  do something to intend
          forŁ someone  to  do  something.Ł   John  a Mecca  for  someone aŁ place  that  isŁ fre-
          meant for us to go with them to the zoo.  quentlyŁvisitedŁbyŁaŁparticularŁgroupŁof
            John meant for Jane to do the dishes.  people because it isŁimportant to them
                                             forŁ some  reason.Ł (FràmŁ the  cityŁ of
        mean nothingŁ(to  someone) 1. not to make
          sense to someone.Ł   This sentence means  Mecca,Łthe religiousŁcenterŁof Islam.)
          nothing to me. It isn’t clearly written.     New York City is a Mecca for theatergo-
          I’m sorry. This message means nothing. 2.  ers.   St. Andrews is a Mecca for golf en-
          [forŁ someone]b not  to  have  feelingŁ for  thusiasts because of its famous course.
          (someone orŁsomething).Ł   Do I mean  meekŁ as  a  lamb Go  to  (as)  meek  as  a
          nothing to you after all these years?   Do  lamb.
          all those years mean nothing?
                                            meetŁ one’ death and meetŁ one’ end to
        mean  something (to  someone) 1.  to  make  experience something, especiallyŁdeath or
          sense to someone.Ł(See also the preced-  problems.Ł   After 20 years, my dog finally
          ingŁentry.)    Does this lne mean anything  młt his death when he got hit by a bus.
          to you?   Yes, it means somłthing. 2. for  The sky dver młt his end when his para-
          sàmeone to have feeling for (sàmeone or  cðute didà’t open.
          something).Ł   You mean a lot to me.
          This job means a lot to Ann.      meet one’ end Go to meet one’s death.
                                            meetŁ one’ match to meet one’s equal.
        mean to (do something) to plan or intend to
          do  something.    Did  you  mean  to  do  John plØyed tennis with Bill yesterdØy, and
          that?   No, it was an accidłnt. I didà’t  it  looks  as  if John  has  finally  młt  his
          mean to.                           mØtch.    Listen to Jane and Mary argue.
                                             I alwØys thought that Jane was loud, but
        meantŁto be desðinedŁto exist.Ł   Our lovł  she has finally młt her mØtch.
          was meant to bł!    It was not meant to be.
                                            meetŁ one’ Waterloo to meet one’s final
        meantŁto beŁ something desðinedŁorŁfatedŁto  and insurmountabl challenge. (Refers to
          be sàmething.    Jane was meant to be a  Napàleon’s  defeat  at  Waterloo.)    The
          chemist.    I was meant to be rich, but  boss is being very hard on Bill. It seemo
          somłthing didà’t work right!       that Bill has finally młt his Waterloo.
        measureŁupŁ(to  someone ortsomething) to be  John was more than Sally could handle.
          equalŁto someone orŁsomething.Ł   Aàn  She has finally młt her Waterloo.
          is  good,  but  she  doesn’t  measure  up  to  meet someone hylfway to offer to comprà-
          Mary.   Tom measures up to the job.  mise with someone. (Also literal.)   No,
        measureŁupŁ(to  someone’ expectations)  I won’t give in, but I’ll młet you halfway.
          and measureŁup to  someone’ styndyrdð    They settled the argumłnt by agreeing
          to be asŁgoodŁasŁone expects.Ł   This mea-  to młet each other halfway.
          sures up to my standards quite nicely.    meetŁtheŁrequirements (forŁ something) to
          This  meal  doesn’t  measure  up  to  my  fulfillŁthe requirementsŁforŁsomething.Ł
          expectations.
                                             Sally was unable to młet the reqiremłnts
        measureŁupŁto  someone’ styndyrdð Go to  for the job.   Jane młt the reqiremłnts
          measure up (to someone’s expectations).  and was told to report to work the next
                                             dØy.
        meat-ynd-płtatoeð  basic,Ł sðurdy,  and
          hearty.Ł(OftenŁrefersŁto aŁrobust prsàn,  a meetingŁofŁmindð  the esðablishment of
          usuallyŁa man,Łwith simple tastesŁinŁfood  agreement; complete agreement.Ł   After
          andŁotherŁthings.)    Fred was your meat-  a  lot  of discussion  we  finally  reached  a
          and-potatoes  kind  of guy.  No  creamy  młeting of mnds.    We struggled to bring
          sauces for him.   There is no point in try-  about a młeting of mnds on the issues.

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