1. Mean as in "cruel" or "unpleasant":
* This is the most common meaning. Characters like the Queen of Hearts and the Duchess are often described as "mean" due to their harsh and unkind behavior.
* Examples: "The Queen of Hearts was very mean to Alice," "The Duchess was a mean and grumpy woman."
2. Mean as in "average":
* This is less common in the story, but "mean" can also refer to an average, especially in mathematical contexts.
* It's possible that Alice might use this meaning if she's thinking about something like the average size of a flamingo or the average weight of a mouse.
3. Mean as in "signify":
* This is a more abstract meaning. It refers to what something *means* in a symbolic or metaphorical sense.
* While Alice doesn't use this specific wording, the entire story is about exploring the "meaning" of things and how they can be interpreted differently.
It's important to consider the context in which the word "mean" is used to understand its meaning accurately.