[am.bi.tion] n [ME, fr. MF or L; MF, fr. L ambition-, ambitio, lit., act of soliciting for votes, fr. ambire] (14c) 1 a: an ardent desire for rank, fame, or power b: desire to achieve a particular end
2: the object of ambition
3: a desire for activity or exertion "felt sick and had no ~" -- am.bi.tion.less adj syn ambition, aspiration, pretension mean strong desire for advancement. ambition applies to the desire for personal advancement or preferment and may suggest equally a praiseworthy or an inordinate desire "driven by ambition". aspiration implies a striving after something higher than oneself and usu. implies that the striver is thereby ennobled "an aspiration to become president someday". pretension suggests ardent desire for recognition of accomplishment often without actual possession of the necessary ability and therefore may imply presumption "has literary pretensions".
[2]ambition vt (1664): to have as one's ambition: desire