Link Centre Dictionary

aim

UK/eɪm/ US/ˈeɪm/ common informal uk us

verb

1.

aim or direct at; as of blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment

  • “Please don”
  • “;”
  • “;”
  • “t train your camera on the women”
  • “Take a swipe at one”
2.

propose or intend

  • “I aim to arrive at noon”
3.

move into a desired direction of discourse

  • “What are you driving at?”
Synonyms
5.

intend (something) to move towards a certain goal

  • “He aimed his fists towards his opponent”
  • “;”
  • “;”
6.

direct (a remark) toward an intended goal

  • “She wanted to aim a pun”

noun

1.

an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

  • “his intent was to provide a new translation”
  • “good intentions are not enough”
  • “it was created with the conscious aim of answering immediate needs”
  • “he made no secret of his designs”
2.

the goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable)

  • “the sole object of her trip was to see her children”
3.

the action of directing something at an object

  • “he took aim and fired”
4.

the direction or path along which something moves or along which it lies

Origin

The verb is from Middle English amen, aimen, eimen (“to guess at, to estimate, to aim”), borrowed from Old French esmer, aesmer, asmer, from Latin ad- plus aestimare (“to estimate”), the compound perhaps being originally formed in Medieval Latin (adaestimare), perhaps in Old French. The noun is from Middle English ame, from Old French aesme, esme.

Phrases

  • aim assist
  • aim at
  • aim community
  • aim for
  • aim for the sky
  • aim for the stars
  • aim high
  • cry aim
  • take aim

Related words

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.