take aim

verb (used with object)

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.

verb (used without object)

3. to point or direct a gun, punch, etc., toward: He aimed at the target but missed it.
4. to strive; try (usually followed 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. Obsolete. to estimate; guess.

noun

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. Obsolete. conjecture; guess.

Idioms

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

verb

1. to point (a weapon, missile, etc) or direct (a blow) at a particular person or object; level
2. (tr) to direct (satire, criticism, etc) at a person, object, etc
3. (intr; foll by at or an infinitive) to propose or intendwe aim to leave early
4. (intr; often foll by at or for) to direct one’s efforts or strive (towards)to aim at better communications; to aim high

noun

5. the action of directing something at an object
6. the direction in which something is pointed; line of sighting (esp in the phrase to take aim)
7. the object at which something is aimed; target
8. intention; purpose

abbreviation for

1. (in Britain) Alternative Investment Market

n.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. v.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. Direct a missile or criticism at something or someone, as in Raising his rifle, Chet took aim at the squirrel but missed it entirely, or In his last speech the President took aim at the opposition leader. [Late 1500s] In addition to the idiom beginning with aim

aim to

also see:

take aim