meant
v.the past form of 'mean'. You use it to talk about what someone intended to say or do, or what a sign or word represented in the past.
v.the past tense and past participle of 'mean'. Refers to past intentions, significations, or consequences.
“I meant to call you yesterday, but I forgot.”
“The red light meant that the machine was overheating and needed to be shut down immediately.”
“Although the policy was meant to reduce administrative overhead, it inadvertently created a secondary layer of bureaucracy that frustrated the very staff it was designed to assist.”
Often followed by an infinitive with 'to' when expressing intention, or a 'that' clause when expressing significance.
Learners often incorrectly use the passive voice when they simply want to express a past intention or meaning.
Usage meant to last
From Middle English ment, mente, from Old English mǣnde, mǣndon, etc. Equivalent to mean + -t.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.