What does "aim" mean?
Aim: To direct the indention or purpose; to attempt the accomplishment of a purpose; to try to gain; to endeavor; -- followed by at, or by an infinitive; as, to aim at distinction; to aim to do well. Aim'st thou at princes Pope.
Additional senses
- 2.To guess or conjecture. [Obs.] Shak.
- 3.To direct or point, as a weapon, at a particular object; to direct, as a missile, an act, or a proceeding, at, to, or against an object; as, to aim a musket or an arrow, the fist or a blow (at something); to aim a satire or a reflection (at some person or vice).
- 4.The pointing of a weapon, as a gun, a dart, or an arrow, in the line of direction with the object intended to be struck; the line of fire; the direction of anything, as a spear, a blow, a discourse, a remark, towards a particular point or object, with a view to strike or affect it. Each at the head leveled his deadly aim. Milton.
- 5.The point intended to be hit, or object intended to be attained or affected. To be the aim of every dangerous shot. Shak.
- 6.Intention; purpose; design; scheme. How oft ambitious aims are crossed! Pope.
- 7.Conjecture; guess. [Obs.] What you would work me to, I have some aim. Shak. To cry aim (Archery), to encourage. [Obs.] Shak.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00