Definitions and meaning of aim
aim
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /eɪm/
-
- Rhymes: -eɪm
Etymology 1
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.
Noun
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, such 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 or goal
- My number one aim in life is to make money to make my parents, siblings and kids happy.
- Synonyms: purpose, design, scheme
- 1891, Oscar Wilde, The Soul of Man Under Socialism
- There is no doubt at all that this is the future of machinery, and just as trees grow while the country gentleman is asleep, so while Humanity will be amusing itself, or enjoying cultivated leisure which, and not labour, is the aim of man - or making beautiful things, or reading beautiful things, or simply contemplating the world with admiration and delight, machinery will be doing all the necessary and unpleasant work.
- The ability of someone to aim straight; one's faculty for being able to hit a physical target
- (obsolete) Conjecture; guess.
Synonyms
- (intention): aspiration, design, end, ettle, intention, mint, object, purpose, scheme, scope, tendency; See also Thesaurus:goal or Thesaurus:intention
Derived terms
Translations
Verb
aim (third-person singular simple present aims, present participle aiming, simple past and past participle aimed)
- (intransitive) To point or direct a missile, or a weapon which propels as missile, towards an object or spot with the intent of hitting it
- (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
- (transitive) To direct or point (e.g. a weapon), at a particular object; to direct, as a missile, an act, or a proceeding, at, to, or against an object
- (transitive) To direct (something verbal) towards a certain person, thing, or group
- (intransitive, obsolete) To guess or conjecture.
Usage notes
- Sense 2. This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. See Appendix:English catenative verbs
Derived terms
Translations
Etymology 2
Noun
aim
- Initialism of America Online. AIM; AOL Instant Messenger.
Further reading
- aim in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- aim in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911.
Anagrams
- AMI, I am, I'm a, I'm a', I'm'a, I'm-a, I'ma, IAM, Ima, Ima', MAI, MIA, Mai, Mia, i'm'a, i'ma, ima, mai, mia
Estonian
Etymology
Of Finnic origin. Cognate to Finnish aimottaa.
Noun
aim (genitive aimu, partitive aimu)
- sense, idea of something, feeling
- Pole aimugi.
- I have no idea.
Declension
Source: wiktionary.org- to direct a course.
(source: Collins Scrabble Dictionary)