a means of

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Davidleels

#293738 Thu, 16 Nov 06 04:13 AM

hi,
can "a means of " make sence?
I looked up lots of dictionaries but found nothing!

the context is :

Thus  a label is a means  of  symbolically  referring  to  a  specific
        statement.

thanks in advance

Davidleels

Joined on Wed, Oct 25 2006

New Member (23)

Grammar Geek

#293744 Thu, 16 Nov 06 05:01 AM

A label is a way to symbolically...

Yes, "a means of" or "a means to" (both sound right to me) means "a way to."

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (15,610)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

Vanyatka

#313583 Wed, 10 Jan 07 07:47 PM

Hi,

Cambridge Dic says "means" is plural, like scissors or pants
means (METHOD) plural noun

What is the matter with the leading indefinite article then, as in "a means of"?
Is it an idiom? But if we can single out one particular "means" of all available, then shouldn't it be countable?

Vanyatka

Joined on Tue, Aug 8 2006

New Member (43)

Articles, Definite articles, Idioms, Indefinite articles, Nouns, Plurals

Cool Breeze

#313603 Wed, 10 Jan 07 08:22 PM

Vanyatka wrote:
Hi,

Cambridge Dic says "means" is plural, like scissors or pants
means (METHOD) plural noun

Hi Vanyatka

I don't have the least idea what the Cangridge Dictionary says about means, but I do know that it's both singular and plural:
one means to do it / of doing it
many means to do it / of doing it

GG is right, TMM. Smile [:)]

Cheers
CB

Cool Breeze

Joined on Fri, Apr 7 2006

Helsinki, Finland

Senior Member (2,860)

The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.- Mark Twain

Nouns, Plurals

Anonymous

#313624 Wed, 10 Jan 07 09:31 PM

Cool Breeze wrote:

I don't have the least idea what the Cangridge Dictionary says about means, but I do know that it's both singular and plural:
one means to do it / of doing it
many means to do it / of doing it

Hi CB,

I was wrong about Cambridge Dictionary, in fact all dictionaries give means as plural noun Smile [:)]

Anonymous

Nouns, Plurals

Cool Breeze

#313650 Wed, 10 Jan 07 10:44 PM

Anonymous wrote:
I was wrong about Cambridge Dictionary, in fact all dictionaries give means as plural noun

All dictionaries? I have no idea how many dictionaries there are. Here is one that gives a singular means as well:
http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definition/means

The Collins Dictionary (British) also gives the right information about means. It is even better than Webster's disciples but I don't think it is available online.

Cheers
CB

Cool Breeze

Nouns, Plurals