verb (used with object)
- 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.
- 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.
- to strive; try (usually followed by to or at): We aim to please. They aim at saving something every month.
- to intend: She aims to go tomorrow.
- to direct efforts, as toward an object: The satire aimed at modern greed.
- Obsolete. to estimate; guess.
noun
- the act of aiming or directing anything at or toward a particular point or target.
- the direction in which a weapon or missile is pointed; the line of sighting: within the cannon’s aim.
- the point intended to be hit; thing or person aimed at: to miss one’s aim.
- something intended or desired to be attained by one’s efforts; purpose: whatever his aim in life may be.
- Obsolete. conjecture; guess.
- take aim, to sight a target: to take aim and fire.
noun
- American Indian Movement.
verb
- to point (a weapon, missile, etc) or direct (a blow) at a particular person or object; level
- (tr) to direct (satire, criticism, etc) at a person, object, etc
- (intr; foll by at or an infinitive) to propose or intendwe aim to leave early
- (intr; often foll by at or for) to direct one’s efforts or strive (towards)to aim at better communications; to aim high
noun
- the action of directing something at an object
- the direction in which something is pointed; line of sighting (esp in the phrase to take aim)
- the object at which something is aimed; target
- intention; purpose
abbreviation for
- (in Britain) Alternative Investment Market
early 14c., “to estimate, calculate,” also “to intend,” from Old French aesmer “value, rate; count, estimate,” from Latin aestimare “appraise” (see estimation); current meaning apparently developed from “esteem,” to “calculate,” to “calculate with a view to action” (c.1400), then to “direct a missile, a blow, etc.” (1570s). Related: Aimed; aiming.
early 14c., “target;” late 14c., “guess;” from aim (v.). Meaning “action of aiming” is from early 15c. (to take aim, originally make aim); that of “thing intended, purpose” is from 1620s.
In addition to the idiom beginning with aim
- aim to
also see:
- take aim