aim
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to position or direct (a firearm, ball, arrow, rocket, etc.) so that, on firing or release, the discharged projectile will hit a target or travel along a certain path.
- Synonyms:
- point
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to intend or direct for a particular effect or purpose.
to aim a satire at snobbery.
verb (used without object)
-
to point or direct a gun, punch, etc., toward.
He aimed at the target but missed it.
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to strive; try (usually followed by to orat ).
We aim to please.
They aim at saving something every month.
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to intend.
She aims to go tomorrow.
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to direct efforts, as toward an object.
The satire aimed at modern greed.
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Obsolete. to estimate; guess.
noun
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the act of aiming or directing anything at or toward a particular point or target.
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the direction in which a weapon or missile is pointed; the line of sighting.
within the cannon's aim.
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the point intended to be hit; thing or person aimed at.
to miss one's aim.
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something intended or desired to be attained by one's efforts; purpose.
whatever his aim in life may be.
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Obsolete. conjecture; guess.
idioms
noun
verb
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to point (a weapon, missile, etc) or direct (a blow) at a particular person or object; level
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(tr) to direct (satire, criticism, etc) at a person, object, etc
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(intr; foll by at or an infinitive) to propose or intend
we aim to leave early
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(intr; often foll by at or for) to direct one's efforts or strive (towards)
to aim at better communications
to aim high
noun
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the action of directing something at an object
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the direction in which something is pointed; line of sighting (esp in the phrase to take aim )
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the object at which something is aimed; target
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intention; purpose
abbreviation
Related Words
Aim, end, object all imply something that is the goal of one's efforts. Aim implies that toward which one makes a direct line, refusing to be diverted from it: a nobleness of aim; one's aim in life. End emphasizes the goal as a cause of efforts: the end for which one strives. Object emphasizes the goal as that toward which all efforts are directed: the object of years of study.
Other Word Forms
- aimer noun
- aimful adjective
- aimfully adverb
- misaim verb
- unaimed adjective
- unaiming adjective
- underaim noun
- well-aimed adjective
Etymology
Origin of aim
First recorded in 1275–1325; late Middle English aimen, from Anglo-French a(e)smer, eimer, from Old French aesmer, from Vulgar Latin adaestimāre (unrecorded), equivalent to Latin ad- ad- ( def. ) + aestimāre ( estimate ( def. ) ); replacing Middle English amen, from Old French (dialectal) amer, from Latin aestimāre
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Weicksel said it’s important for the public to know how the administration is aiming to shape institutions essential to the nation’s culture and ability to understand itself and its past.
From Salon
The United States also announced new sanctions against numerous shipping entities and vessels, aimed at curbing Iran's oil exports.
From Barron's
She is aiming for a clean sweep of three golds in all of her events at the Milan-Cortina Games.
From Barron's
Now the multi-talented skier, who models and studies at Stanford, is aiming for a clean sweep of three golds in all of her events at the Milan-Cortina Games.
From Barron's
Featuring Serena Williams, the spot aims to dismantle the “willpower” stigma around weight loss.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
