Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - meant

1. Meant is the past tense and past participle of mean. 2. You use meant to to say that something or someone was intended to be or do a particular thing, especially when they have failed to be or do it. I can’t say any more, it’s meant to be a big secret... I’m meant to be on holiday. ADJ: v-link ADJ to-inf 3. If something is meant for particular people or for a particular situation, it is intended for those people or for that situation. Fairy tales weren’t just meant for children... The seeds were not meant for human consumption... ADJ: v-link ADJ for n 4. If you say that something is meant to happen, you mean that it is expected to happen or that it ought to happen. Parties are meant to be fun. PHRASE 5. If you say that something is meant to have a particular quality or characteristic, you mean that it has a reputation for being like that. Beaujolais is meant to be a really good wine. PHRASE