target
/ˈtɑɹ.ɡɪt/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.82 in modern English
7
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A butt or mark to shoot at, as for practice, or to test the accuracy of a firearm, or the force of a projectile.
noun
A person, place, or thing that is frequently attacked, criticized, or ridiculed.
Example Sentences
- "Take careful aim at the target."
- "Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers.[…]Much of their pleading is public-relations bluster. Clever financial ploys are what have made billionaires of the industry’s veterans. “Operational improvement” in a portfolio company has often meant little more than promising colossal bonuses to sitting chief executives if they meet ambitious growth targets. That model is still prevalent today."
- "They have a target to finish the project by November."
- "These four came all afront, and mainly thrust at me. I made me no more ado but took all their seven points in my target, thus."
- "The Target (x) or Buckler (y) was carried by the heavy armed foot, it anſwered to the ſcutum of the Romans; its form was ſometimes that of a rectangular parallelogram, but more commonly had its bottom rounded off; it was generally convex, being curved in its breadth."
- "The fourth field is also party per pale, and for the dutchy of Genevois, contains chequered Or and azure: The sinister for the dutchy of Montserat, a target, gules. The point Or is a black eagle of the county of Maurienne."
Etymology
From Middle French targette, targuete, diminutive of targe (“light shield”), from Old French, from Frankish *targa (“buckler”), akin to Old Norse targa (“small round shield”) (whence also Old English targe, targa (“shield”)) from Proto-Germanic *targǭ (“edge”), from Proto-Indo-European *derǵʰ- (“fenced lot”). Akin to Old High German zarga (“side wall, rim”) (German Zarge (“frame”)), Spanish tarjeta (“card”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈtɑɹ.ɡɪt/
- British English: /ˈtɑː.ɡɪt/
Usage
- Obsolete
- British usage
- Dated
- Transitive verb
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
Frequently Paired Words
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