Meanings
aim1
plural aims
- The pointing of a weapon, as a gun, a dart, or an arrow, or object, in the line of direction with the object intended to be struck; the line of fire; the direction of anything, such as a spear, a blow, a discourse, a remark, towards a particular point or object, with a view to strike or affect it.
to take aim
2 more examples
Take time with the aim of your gun.
2012, "The Legend of the Gobblewonker", season 1, episode 2 of Gravity Falls, spoken by Grunkle Stan, voiced by Alex Hirsch My ex-wife still misses me, but her aim is getting better!
- The level of accuracy of a weapon.
A rifle has more precise aim than a shotgun.
- The point intended to be hit, or object intended to be attained or affected.
- Intention or goal.
My number one aim in life is to make money to make my parents, siblings, and kids happy.
2 more examples
There is no doubt at all that this is the future of machinery, and just as trees grow while the country gentleman is asleep, so while Humanity will be amusing itself, or enjoying cultivated leisure—which, and not labour, is the aim of man—or making beautiful things, or reading beautiful things, or simply contemplating the world with admiration and delight, machinery will be doing all the necessary and unpleasant work.
1891 February, Oscar Wilde, “The Soul of Man Under Socialism”, in The Fortnightly Review, volume 49, number 290, page 303As a matter of fact the Enlightment culture was based on a philosophy inspired to an ethical laicism whose aim was to create a better society based on principles such as solidarity, equality of rights and duties, and full freedom.
2012, Francesca Valensise, From Building Fabric to City Form: Reconstruction in Calabria at end of Eighteenth Century, Gangemi Editore spa, →ISBN, page 8Synonyms: purpose, design, scheme, aspiration
- The ability of someone to aim straight; one’s faculty for being able to hit a physical target.
He has a bad aim, so he decided to join archery classes.
1 more example
The police officer has excellent aim, always hitting the bullseye in shooting practice.
- obsoleteConjecture; guess.
What you would work me to, I have some aim.
1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]
present singular third person aims · participle present aiming · participle past aimed · past aimed
- intransitiveTo point or direct a missile, or a weapon which propels as missile, towards an object or spot with the intent of hitting it
He aimed at the target, but the arrow flew straight over it.
- intransitiveTo direct the intention or purpose; to attempt the accomplishment of a purpose; to try to gain; to endeavor;—followed by at, or by an infinitive
to aim at a pass
3 more examples
to aim to do well in life
The stories did not seem to me to touch life. They were plainly intended to have a bracing moral effect, and perhaps had this result for the people at whom they were aimed.
1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLCRisk is everywhere.[…]For each one there is a frighteningly precise measurement of just how likely it is to jump from the shadows and get you. “The Norm Chronicles”[…]aims to help data-phobes find their way through this blizzard of risks.
2013 June 22, “Snakes and ladders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, page 76 - transitiveTo direct or point (e.g. a weapon), at a particular object; to direct, as a missile, an act, or a proceeding, at, to, or against an object
to aim an arrow at the deer
2 more examples
She aimed a punch at her ex-boyfriend.
He aimed the gun at him and he held his hands up in surrender.
Synonyms: point
- transitiveTo direct (something verbal) towards a certain person, thing, or group
to aim a satirical comment at Communists in general
- intransitiveobsoleteTo guess or conjecture.
But, good my lord, do it so cunningly / That my discovery be not aimed at;
c. 1589–1593, William Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, act 3, scene 1, lines 44–45
aim2
- abbreviationinitialismInitialism of America Online AIM; AOL Instant Messenger.
AIM3
- abbreviationinitialismInitialism of Agape International Missions.
- InternetabbreviationhistoricalinitialismInitialism of AOL Instant Messenger.
- abbreviationinitialismUS space program; space; US space program; spaceInitialism of Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere, a NASA satellite.
- UKbusinessAIM, the secondary stock market of the London Stock Exchange; formerly an initialism of Alternative Investment Market.
- abbreviationinitialismInitialism of American Indian Movement.
There are Schimmel Sister stickers, and Navajo Nation stickers, Cherokee Nation stickers, Idle No More, and AIM flags duct-taped to antennas.
2018, Tommy Orange, “Interlude”, in There There, New York, N.Y.: Vintage Books, →ISBN, page 136
present singular third person AIMs · participle present AIMing · participle past AIMed · past AIMed
- InternetambitransitivehistoricalinformalTo talk to (someone) via the instant messaging service AIM (AOL Instant Messenger; 1997–2017); to send (someone) a message via this service.
Um, alrighty then. Marcus likes me, we AIMed earlier and had really good cybersex. =Þ
1998 July 14, The Unholy Priest Rubicant, “My God, no!!”, in alt.games.final-fantasy (Usenet), archived from the original on 04 Jul 20262 more examples
I am not on AOL but I do have AIM. My AIM name is sparkieee2 so whenever I am on, feel free to AIM me.
1999 January 28, Kim Wild, “AOL Friends/Chat/Support”, in alt.med.fibromyalgia (Usenet), archived from the original on 04 Jul 2026anyway. that's why i lost another friend. because i told him all of that. he's certain not to talk to me again. wait, he just AIMed me.
2004 February 23, kitznegari thinks it has wings, “lost yet another "friend" today.”, in alt.support.shyness (Usenet), archived from the original on 04 Jul 2026
Synonyms & antonyms
nounIntention or goal.
verbTo direct or point (e.g. a weapon), at a particular object; to direct, as a missile, an act, or a proceeding, at, to, or against an object
More synonyms by meaning
nounan anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
nounthe goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable)
nounthe direction or path along which something moves or along which it lies
verbpoint or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards
verbspecifically design a product, event, or activity for a certain public
verbintend (something) to move towards a certain goal
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Old Frenchaesme
- Middle Englishame
- Latinad-
- Old Frenchesmer
- Middle Englishamen
- Englishaim
The verb is from Middle English amen, aimen, eimen (“to guess at, to estimate, to aim”), borrowed from Old French esmer, aesmer, asmer, from Latin ad- plus aestimare (“to estimate”), the compound perhaps being originally formed in Medieval Latin (adaestimare), perhaps in Old French. The noun is from Middle English ame, from Old French aesme, esme.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek σκοπός
- σκοπός (skopós)intention; purpose
Arabic هَدَف
- هَدَف (hadaf)intention; purpose
Bengali মকসদ
- মকসদ (mokśod)intention; purpose
Bulgarian цел, мише́на
- цел (cel)point intended to be hit
- мише́на (mišéna)point intended to be hit
- прице́л (pricél)point intended to be hit
- цел (cel)intention; purpose
- намере́ние (namerénie)intention; purpose
- це́ля се (célja se)to point or direct a missile weapon
- прице́лвам се (pricélvam se)to point or direct a missile weapon
- прице́ля се (pricélja se)to point or direct a missile weapon
- стремя́ се (stremjá se)to direct the intention or purpose
- домо́гвам се (domógvam se)to direct the intention or purpose
Catalan fi, apuntar
- fiintention; purpose
- apuntarto point or direct a missile weapon
- apuntarto direct the intention or purpose
Chinese Mandarin 瞄準 /瞄准, 標的 /标的
- 瞄準 /瞄准 (miáozhǔn)pointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- 標的 /标的 (biāodì)point intended to be hit
- 靶子 (bǎzi)point intended to be hit
- 目標 /目标 (mùbiāo)intention; purpose
- 目的 (mùdì)intention; purpose
- 瞄準 /瞄准 (miáozhǔn)to point or direct a missile weapon
Czech terč, cíl
- terčpoint intended to be hit
- cílintention; purpose
- mířitto point or direct a missile weapon
- namířitto point or direct a missile weapon
- zamířitto point or direct a missile weapon
- zamýšletto direct the intention or purpose
Danish rette
- retteto point or direct a missile weapon
Dutch doel, doel
- doelpoint intended to be hit
- doelintention; purpose
- oogmerkintention; purpose
- bedoelingintention; purpose
- richtento point or direct a missile weapon
Esperanto celo, celi
- celointention; purpose
- celito point or direct a missile weapon
- celito direct the intention or purpose
Finnish tähtäys, tähtäyspiste
- tähtäyspointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- tähtäyspistepoint intended to be hit
- maalipoint intended to be hit
- aikomusintention; purpose
- tarkoitusintention; purpose
- tavoiteintention; purpose
- tähdätäto point or direct a missile weapon
- pyrkiäto direct the intention or purpose
French visée, mire
- viséepointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- mirepointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- ciblepoint intended to be hit
- objectifintention; purpose
- ambitionintention; purpose
- butintention; purpose
- viserto point or direct a missile weapon
- viserto direct the intention or purpose
- ciblerto direct the intention or purpose
German Zielen, Ziel
- Zielenpointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- Zielpoint intended to be hit
- Zielscheibepoint intended to be hit
- Schießscheibepoint intended to be hit
- Zielintention; purpose
- zielento point or direct a missile weapon
- zielento direct the intention or purpose
Greek σκόπευση, σημάδι
- σκόπευση (skópefsi)pointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- σημάδι (simádi)pointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- στόχος (stóchos)point intended to be hit
- σκοπός (skopós)intention; purpose
- στόχος (stóchos)intention; purpose
Hindi लक्ष्य, उद्देश्य
- लक्ष्य (lakṣya)point intended to be hit
- उद्देश्य (uddeśya)intention; purpose
- इरादा (irādā)intention; purpose
- लक्ष्य (lakṣya)intention; purpose
- साधना (sādhnā)to point or direct a missile weapon
Hungarian cél, célpont
- célpoint intended to be hit
- célpontpoint intended to be hit
- célintention; purpose
- célkitűzésintention; purpose
- szándékintention; purpose
- célozto point or direct a missile weapon
- megcélozto point or direct a missile weapon
- célba veszto point or direct a missile weapon
- irányítto point or direct a missile weapon
- ráirányítto point or direct a missile weapon
- célozto direct the intention or purpose
- megcélozto direct the intention or purpose
- törekszikto direct the intention or purpose
- szándékozikto direct the intention or purpose
- igyekszikto direct the intention or purpose
Indonesian tujuan, bidik
- tujuanintention; purpose
- bidikto point or direct a missile weapon
- membidikto point or direct a missile weapon
Irish aimsiú, aidhm
- aimsiúpointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- aidhmintention; purpose
- aimsighto point or direct a missile weapon
- aimsighto direct the intention or purpose
Italian mira, obiettivo
- mirapointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- obiettivopoint intended to be hit
- obiettivointention; purpose
- scopointention; purpose
- prioritàintention; purpose
- puntareto point or direct a missile weapon
- mirareto point or direct a missile weapon
- puntareto direct the intention or purpose
- tendereto direct the intention or purpose
- indirizzareto direct the intention or purpose
Japanese 狙い, 目標
- 狙い (nerai)pointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- 目標 (mokuhyō)intention; purpose
- 目的 (mokuteki)intention; purpose
- 狙う (nerau)to point or direct a missile weapon
- 目指す (mezasu)to direct the intention or purpose
Korean 조준하다, 목표
- 조준하다 (jojunhada)pointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- 목표 (mokpyo)point intended to be hit
- 목표 (mokpyo)intention; purpose
- 목적 (mokjeok)intention; purpose
Malay tujuan, توجوان
- tujuanintention; purpose
- توجوانintention; purpose
Māori whāinga, whāinga
- whāingapoint intended to be hit
- whāingaintention; purpose
- keroto point or direct a missile weapon
- whakakekoto point or direct a missile weapon
- titiro whakakekoto point or direct a missile weapon
Polish tarcza, cel
- tarczapoint intended to be hit
- celpoint intended to be hit
- celintention; purpose
- celowaćto point or direct a missile weapon
- wycelowaćto point or direct a missile weapon
- mierzyćto point or direct a missile weapon
Portuguese pontaria, mira
- pontariapointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- mirapointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- alvopoint intended to be hit
- objetivointention; purpose
- mirarto point or direct a missile weapon
- apontarto point or direct a missile weapon
- apontarto direct the intention or purpose
- almejarto direct the intention or purpose
Romanian ochire, țintă
- ochirepointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- țintăpoint intended to be hit
- țelpoint intended to be hit
- obiectivpoint intended to be hit
- scopintention; purpose
- intențieintention; purpose
Russian прице́л, цель
- прице́л (pricél)pointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- цель (celʹ)point intended to be hit
- мише́нь (mišénʹ)point intended to be hit
- цель (celʹ)intention; purpose
- наме́рение (namérenije)intention; purpose
- це́литься (célitʹsja)to point or direct a missile weapon
- прице́ливаться (pricélivatʹsja)to point or direct a missile weapon
- наце́ливать (nacélivatʹ)to point or direct a missile weapon
- прице́литься (pricélitʹsja)to point or direct a missile weapon
- направля́ть (napravljátʹ)to point or direct a missile weapon
- стреми́ться (stremítʹsja)to direct the intention or purpose
- домога́ться (domogátʹsja)to direct the intention or purpose
- име́ть в виду́ (imétʹ v vidú)to direct the intention or purpose
- ме́тить (métitʹ)to direct the intention or purpose
Scottish Gaelic amas, amas
- amaspoint intended to be hit
- amasintention; purpose
- amaisto point or direct a missile weapon
- amaisto direct the intention or purpose
Slovak terč, cieľ
- terčpoint intended to be hit
- cieľintention; purpose
- mieriťto point or direct a missile weapon
- zamieriťto point or direct a missile weapon
Spanish puntería, pajero
- punteríapointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- pajeropointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- objetivopoint intended to be hit
- objetivointention; purpose
- intenciónintention; purpose
- metaintention; purpose
- finalidadintention; purpose
- pretensiónintention; purpose
- asestarto point or direct a missile weapon
- encañonarto point or direct a missile weapon
- baraustarto point or direct a missile weapon
- encararto point or direct a missile weapon
- abocarto point or direct a missile weapon
- empistolarto point or direct a missile weapon
- apuntarto point or direct a missile weapon
- pretenderto direct the intention or purpose
- encaminarto direct the intention or purpose
- abocarto direct the intention or purpose
Swedish sikte, sikta
- sikteintention; purpose
- siktato point or direct a missile weapon
Tamil குறி, குறி
- குறி (kuṟi)pointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- குறி (kuṟi)point intended to be hit
- இலக்கு (ilakku)point intended to be hit
- குறிக்கோள் (kuṟikkōḷ)intention; purpose
- நோக்கம் (nōkkam)intention; purpose
- குறி வை (kuṟi vai)to point or direct a missile weapon
- நோக்கு (nōkku)to direct the intention or purpose
Thai เล็ง
- เล็ง (leng)to point or direct a missile weapon
Turkish hedef, nişan
- hedefpoint intended to be hit
- nişanpoint intended to be hit
- maksatintention; purpose
- garazintention; purpose
Ukrainian ціль, міше́нь
- ціль (cilʹ)point intended to be hit
- міше́нь (mišénʹ)point intended to be hit
- мета́ (metá)intention; purpose
- на́мір (námir)intention; purpose
- ціль (cilʹ)intention; purpose
- ці́литися (cílytysja)to point or direct a missile weapon
- приці́люватися (prycíljuvatysja)to point or direct a missile weapon
- приці́литися (prycílytysja)to point or direct a missile weapon
- пра́гнути (práhnuty)to direct the intention or purpose
- намага́тися (namahátysja)to direct the intention or purpose
Vietnamese ngắm, nhắm
- ngắmpointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- nhắmpointing of a weapon towards a particular point or object
- nhắmto point or direct a missile weapon
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with aim
Anagrams
Cite this entry
aim. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aim
“aim.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aim. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “aim,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aim.
Source: aim on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.