(English) means or meant?

Question

I looked the word up in the dictionary because I didn't know what it (means/meant).

Hi. Which verb form would you choose, "means" or "meant"?
I heard either is OK.

Answer 1

Means or mean is a present tense verb. Ex: She means to tell you something. (right now).

Meant is the past tense of the verb. Ex: She meant to tell you something. (in the past).

You can't just interchange the two tenses without changing the meaning of the sentence.

Answer 2

You should use "meant" since you're speaking in the past tense (i.e. I looked).

If it were present tense (e.g. I'm looking) you would use "means": I'm looking up the word in the dictionary because I don't know what it means.

Answer 3

I would use meant since it is the past tense of mean. Examples:

You looked up the word "flabbergasted" because you did not know what it meant.

Jill still needs to look it up because she does not know what "flabbergasted" means.

I've known what it meant for a long time.

Answer 4

present tense versus past tense.

"I looked it up in the dictionary because I didn't know what it meant."
"I looked it up in the dictionary but I still don't know what it means."

Answer 5

meant=past tense

Answer 6

meant is past tense so it still means something

Answer 7

mean is used for present tense

meant is used for past tense

ie : He means that the sun is shining

or

I meant to tell you that it's already morning

Answer 8

it would go like this.

I don't want to be mean. (thats one usage)
Yerok means green in Hebrew.
I meant to tell you about that three headed dog story.

Answer 9

meant...past tense.

Answer 10

hund MEANS dog in English

I MEANT to tell you that you are retarded:)