aim
/eɪm/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.51 in modern English
5
Scrabble Score
3
Letters
1
Syllables
3
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
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.
verb
To point or direct a missile, or a weapon which propels as missile, towards an object or spot with the intent of hitting it
Intransitive verb
verb
To 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
Intransitive verb
Example Sentences
- "to take aim"
- "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!"
- "A rifle has more precise aim than a shotgun."
- "My number one aim in life is to make money to make my parents, siblings, and kids happy."
- "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."
Etymology
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.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Usage
- Obsolete
- Intransitive verb
- Transitive verb
- British usage
- American usage
- Informal