"Jerry Wass" wrote in message
. ..
Robert Moore wrote:
"Private" wrote
ISTM we are experiencing a decline in respect for others that is
accompanying the 'dumbing down' and 'meaning' of society, which when
combined with intolerance and ignorance is making us all poorer in
life and spirit.

You are certainly correct about that.

Bob Moore

I like that too, I just wish you (or me) could think of a single word to
replace "meaning" without the 2nd connotation of "understanding/definition
of".


I also would like a better or at least less ambiguous word, and am open to
suggestions. I was (as I am confident you understood) wishing to use the
adjective usage to communicate-

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mean
4 : lacking dignity or honor : base
5 a : penurious, stingy b : characterized by petty selfishness or malice c :
causing trouble or bother : vexatious
synonyms mean, ignoble, abject, sordid mean being below the normal standards
of human decency and dignity. mean suggests having such repellent
characteristics as small-mindedness, ill temper, or cupidity mean and petty
satire. ignoble suggests a loss or lack of some essential high quality of
mind or spirit an ignoble scramble after material possessions. abject may
imply degradation, debasement, or servility abject poverty. sordid is
stronger than all of these in stressing physical or spiritual degradation
and abjectness a sordid story of murder and revenge.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mean#Adjective_2
mean (comparative meaner, superlative meanest)

Positive
mean
Comparative
meaner
Superlative
meanest


1.. Causing or intending to cause intentional harm; bearing ill will
towards another; cruel; malicious.
Watch out for her, she's mean. I said good morning to her, and she
punched me in the nose.
2.. Miserly; stingy.
He's so mean. I've never seen him spend so much as five pounds on
presents for his children.
3.. Selfish; acting without consideration of others; unkind.
It was mean to steal the girl's piggy bank, but he just had to get
uptown and he had no cash of his own.
4.. Low in quality; inferior.

[edit] Synonyms
a.. (causing or intending to cause intentional harm): cruel, malicious,
nasty, spiteful
b.. (miserly; stingy): See also Wikisaurus:stingy
c.. (acting without consideration of others): selfish, unkind
d.. (inferior): cheap, grotty (slang), inferior, low-quality, naff (UK
slang), rough and ready, shoddy, tacky (informal)

[edit] Derived terms
a.. meanie
b.. meanness
c.. meany