Mean Spirited

[namlan]

- US magazine is really hard on Jessica and a lot of young women in Hollywood. I don't get why the editors are so cruel and mean spirited for no reason. They pick and chose who they will trash or build up.

- What does "mean spirited for no reason" mean here?

Thanks a lot!

NamLan

 

[Trisia]

Hi,

Did you check a dictionary?

mean-spirited or mean spirited
adj.
Having or characterized by a malicious or petty spirit.

Basically it means they're nasty without having a good reason to be this way.

 

[Unknoewn13]

"Mean-spirited for no reason" (notice that it is hyphenated, just a little grammar thing haha) means that the editors are saying things about the young women in a bad way, but the women did nothing to truly deserve it. "For no reason" could also mean that they are being cruel and get nothing out of it, but the first option is what they mean in this sentence.

 

[Harry Batt]

The movie Good Morning Viet Nam! has a scene which explains mean-spirited as well as it could possibly be explained. A master Sergeant with a lot of hash marks and very little ability to make a decision with free thinking is finally taken to task by the commanding officer of Robin William's military radio station. He has transferred this inept NCO Sgt. to some isolated post with the words which I paraphrase, "You're mean. just mean." He gave no military reason for the transfer. His words went right to the core; "You're mean, just mean."

And isn't the same manner conveyed by the characters Hot Lips and Frank?