aim

—aimer, n. —aimful, adj. —aimfully, adv.

/aym/, v.t.

1. 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.

2. to intend or direct for a particular effect or purpose: to aim a satire at snobbery.

v.i.

3. to point or direct a gun, punch, etc., toward: He aimed at the target but missed it.

4. to strive; try (usually fol. by to or at): We aim to please. They aim at saving something every month.

5. to intend: She aims to go tomorrow.

6. to direct efforts, as toward an object: The satire aimed at modern greed.

7. Obs. to estimate; guess.

n.

8. the act of aiming or directing anything at or toward a particular point or target.

9. the direction in which a weapon or missile is pointed; the line of sighting: within the cannon's aim.

10. the point intended to be hit; thing or person aimed at: to miss one's aim.

11. something intended or desired to be attained by one's efforts; purpose: whatever his aim in life may be.

12. Obs. conjecture; guess.

13. take aim, to sight a target: to take aim and fire.

[1275-1325; late ME aimen < AF a(e)smer, eimer, OF aesmer < VL *adaestimare, equiv. to L ad- AD- + aestimare (see ESTIMATE); r. ME amen < OF (dial.) amer < L aestimare]

Syn. 1. point. 8. sighting. 10. target, objective. 11. goal; intent, design. 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.

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