aim

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to have an ambitious plan or a lofty goal

   I aim to become the best in the business.

2. 2
   verb

   to propose or intend

   I aim to arrive at noon.

3. 3
   verb

   to specifically design a product, event, or activity for a certain public

   I aimed this campaign at single earner families looking for an affordable used car.

4. 4
   verb

   to direct a remark toward an intended goal

   I wanted to aim a pun at the mayor.

5. 5
   verb

   to intend something to move towards a certain goal

   We aimed our arrows towards the target.

6. 6
   verb

   to point or cause to go towards

   Please don't aim the gun at your little brother!

7. 7
   noun

   the action of directing something at an object

   I took aim and fired.

8. 8
   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.

   to take aim

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.