DictionaryAI

aim

AYM/eɪm/

Pluralaims

Verbaims, aiming, aimed

11 meanings of aim

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A goal, or something you want to do or achieve.

    Like a finish line that you keep running toward.

    Her aim is to finish school and become a nurse.

    He started the club with one aim: to help new students make friends.

    Similarpurpose, goal, design, scheme

  2. 2
    verbintransitive
    To try to do or get something, or to have it as your goal.

    We aim to finish the project before summer.

    She is aiming for a spot on the school team.

    Similarintend, strive, seek, aspire, plan

    Note
  3. 3
    verbtransitive
    To point something at a person or thing you want it to reach.

    Aim the camera at the birds and hold still.

    She aimed the flashlight at the noise in the bushes.

    Similarpoint, direct, level, train

  4. 4
    verbintransitive
    To point a gun, bow, or other weapon at the thing you want to hit.

    Aim at the middle of the target, not the edge.

    He aimed carefully before he threw the dart.

    Note
  5. 5
    noununcountable
    The way you point a weapon or throw something so it will hit a target.

    The archer took careful aim before releasing the arrow.

    He shifted his aim, and the snowball hit the fence instead.

    Note
  6. 6
    nouncountable
    The thing or spot that someone is trying to hit or reach.

    The center of the board was his aim, but the dart landed low.

    The far buoy was the aim of every swimmer in the race.

    Similartarget, mark

  7. 7
    noununcountable
    How well someone can hit what they are trying to hit.

    Her aim was so good that she hit the can three times in a row.

    Practice every day and your aim will get better.

    Similaraccuracy, marksmanship

    Note
  8. 8
    verbtransitive
    To say something so that it is meant for a certain person or group.

    He aimed his joke at the new teacher.

    The ads aim their message at parents of young children.

    Similardirect, level, target

  9. 9
    nouninitialism
    Initialism of AOL Instant Messenger. It was AOL's program for sending instant messages online.

    She talked to her friends on AIM every night after school.

    His away message on AIM said he was at soccer practice.

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 10
    nounobsolete
    A guess about something you cannot know for sure.
    What you would work me to, I have some aim.
    1599, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”Here, aim means a guess, an idea of something without being sure.
    Note
  2. 11
    verbobsoleteintransitive
    To make a guess about something without knowing for sure.
    But, good my lord, do it so cunningly / That my discovery be not aimed at;
    c. 1589, William Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of VeronaHere, aimed at means guessed, so no one guesses what I found out.
    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of aim apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

The verb came through Middle English and Old French from Latin, based on 'aestimare', meaning 'to estimate'.