aim
Other forms: aimed; aims; aiming
If you wad up a piece of paper and line up a shot at a wastebasket, you are taking aim. If instead, the paper bounces off your teacher's head, then your aim was way off.
A purpose or goal is an aim. When you were little, your aim might have been to be a famous astronaut, a movie star, or a police officer. As a verb, aim means to intend, try, or aspire. You may aim to take your dog for three walks every day, but your fenced-in yard tends to make both of you lazy.
Definitions of aim
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point or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards“Please don't aim at your little brother!”
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direct, place, point, target
intend (something) to move towards a certain goal
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draw a bead on
aim with a gun
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hold
aim, point, or direct
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turn
direct at someone
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swing
hit or aim at with a sweeping arm movement
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charge, level, point
direct into a position for use
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level
aim at
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sight
take aim by looking through the sights of a gun (or other device)
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address
direct a question at someone
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home in, range in, zero in
direct onto a point or target, especially by automatic navigational aids
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type of:
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position
cause to be in an appropriate place, state, or relation
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intend (something) to move towards a certain goal“He aimed his fists towards his opponent's face”
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the action of directing something at an object
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the direction or path along which something moves or along which it lies
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propose or intend
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have an ambitious plan or a lofty goal
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move into a desired direction of discourse
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specifically design a product, event, or activity for a certain public
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the goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable)
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grail
the object of any prolonged endeavor
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business
an immediate objective
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point
the object of an activity
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thing
a special objective
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occasions
something you have to do
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an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions“it was created with the conscious aim of answering immediate needs”
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idea, mind
your intention; what you intend to do
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cross-purpose
a contrary aim
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final cause
(philosophy) the end or purpose of a thing or process
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sake
the purpose of achieving or obtaining
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view
purpose; the phrase `with a view to' means `with the intention of' or `for the purpose of'
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will
a fixed and persistent intent or purpose
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direct (a remark) toward an intended goal
Pronunciation
US
/eɪm/
UK
/eɪm/
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘aim'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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