aim */*/*/

I UK [eɪm] / US noun
Word forms "aim":
singular aim plural aims

Metaphor:

An aim or purpose that you want to achieve is like a place that you want to get to or a target that you want to hit. I haven't yet reached my goal. ♦ They are making every effort to reach an agreement. ♦ We want to achieve our ends by peaceful means. ♦ Many of the students are aiming for jobs in the media. ♦ This company has always aimed high. ♦ At last their goal was within reach ♦ She has set her sights on winning the championship. ♦ They went to great lengths to make us feel at home. ♦ We expect to meet our target of 100,000 members by the end of next year. ♦ Unless you reach for the stars, you'll never know what you can achieve. ♦ I wanted to take a shot at running my own business. ♦ It's a long shot but it might work. ♦ We're shooting for the number one spot in the computer games market. ♦ Would anyone like to have a stab at doing this? Trying to achieve your aims is like reaching towards a physical object. When you achieve the thing you want, it is as if you are holding it. Success was finally within their grasp. ♦ We stretched ourselves to buy the house, but it was worth it. ♦ They've overstretched themselves financially. ♦ Like many ambitious people, he eventually overreached himself. ♦ Many people grasped at the opportunity to leave. ♦ If you want my advice, you should just go for it. ➡ achieve

1) [countable] the thing that you hope to achieve by doing something

aim of:

The aim of this project is to help patients to be more independent.

with the aim of doing something:

We visit schools with the aim of getting young people interested in the theatre.

someone's aim is to do something:

My main aim on this course is to gain confidence.

achieve/fulfil/pursue your aims:

The group was committed to achieving its aims through peaceful means.

aims and objectives (= things that you intend to achieve):

We need to clarify the aims and objectives of the project.

2) [singular] your ability to hit something when you throw, kick, or shoot something at it

My aim wasn't very good and the ball went over the fence.

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- take aim

II UK [eɪm] / US verb
Word forms "aim":
present tense I/you/we/they aim he/she/it aims present participle aiming past tense aimed past participle aimed

1) [intransitive] to intend or hope to achieve something

aim to do something:

The project aims to provide support for young musicians.

aim for:

Most of the students were aiming for jobs in television.

2) [intransitive/transitive] to point a gun or an object you are throwing at something that you want to hit

When given the order, the squad aimed their weapons.

aim at/for:

He was aiming at the tree but he missed.

aim something at someone/something:

I looked up to see Betty aiming a gun at me.

aim a kick/blow at someone/something:

He leapt into the crowd, aiming a kick at a fan.

3) [transitive] if you aim something you say, write, or create at a person or group, you want them to listen to or use what you have said, written, or created

aim something at something:

The book is aimed at people with no specialized knowledge.

Blair aimed his criticism at corporations promoting and distributing offensive materials.

•

(be) aimed at (doing) something — if a plan or idea is aimed at a particular thing, it has the goal of achieving that thing

an energy programme aimed at reducing our dependence on fossil fuels

The regulations are aimed at the prevention of accidents at work.