/mi:nz ||; minz/noun (plural means) by all means used to say that you are happy for sb to have or do sth （表示欣然同意）当然: ‘Can I borrow your newspaper?’ ‘By all means.’ “可不可以借你的报纸看看？”“当然可以。” by means of by using 使用；藉着: We got out of the hotel by means of the fire escape. 我们从太平梯逃出酒店。 by no means; not by any means (used to emphasize sth) not at all （用于强调）决不，一点也不: I'm by no means sure that this is the right thing to do. 我一点也不能肯定这样做是对的。 a means to an end an action or thing that is not important in itself but is a way of achieving sth else 达到目的的方法（重要的是结果而非手段）: I don't enjoy my job, but it's a means to an end. 我不喜欢我的工作，但这是达到目的的一种手段。