aim
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Etymology 1[edit]
From Middle English amen, aimen, eimen, Old French esmer, asmer, from Medieval Latin adaestimare, from Latin aestimare; or perhaps from Old French aesmer, from Latin ad- + esmer.
Noun[edit]
aim (plural aims)
- The pointing of a weapon, as a gun, a dart, or an arrow, or object, in the line of direction with the object intended to be struck; the line of fire; the direction of anything, as a spear, a blow, a discourse, a remark, towards a particular point or object, with a view to strike or affect it.
- The point intended to be hit, or object intended to be attained or affected.
- Intention; purpose; design; scheme.
Synonyms[edit]
- (intention): aspiration, design, end, ettle, intention, object, purpose, scheme, scope, tendency
- See also Wikisaurus:goal
Translations[edit]
pointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
point intended to be hit
Intention; purpose
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Verb[edit]
aim (third-person singular simple present aims, present participle aiming, simple past and past participle aimed)
- (intransitive) To point or direct a missile weapon, or a weapon which propels as missile, towards an object or spot with the intent of hitting it; as, to aim at a fox, or at a target.
- (intransitive) To direct the intention or purpose; to attempt the accomplishment of a purpose; to try to gain; to endeavor;—followed by at, or by an infinitive; as, to aim at distinction; to aim to do well.
- (transitive) To direct or point, as a weapon, at a particular object; to direct, as a missile, an act, or a proceeding, at, to, or against an object; as, to aim a musket or an arrow, the fist or a blow (at something); to aim a satire or a reflection (at some person or vice).
- (obsolete) To guess or conjecture.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)
Usage notes[edit]
- Sense 3. This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. See Appendix:English catenative verbs
Derived terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
to point or direct a missile weapon
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to direct the intention or purpose
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Etymology 2[edit]
Initialism[edit]
aim
External links[edit]
- aim in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- aim in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
Anagrams[edit]
Categories:
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms derived from Medieval Latin
- English terms derived from Latin
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English verbs
- English terms with obsolete senses
- English abbreviations, acronyms and initialisms
- English initialisms
