— aimer , n. — aimful , adj. — aimfully , adv.
/aym/ , v.t.
1. to position or direct (a firearm, ball, arrow, rocket, etc.) so that, on firing or release, the discharged projectile will hit a target or travel along a certain path.
2. to intend or direct for a particular effect or purpose: to aim a satire at snobbery.
v.i.
3. to point or direct a gun, punch, etc., toward: He aimed at the target but missed it.
4. to strive; try (usually fol. by to or at ): We aim to please. They aim at saving something every month.
5. to intend: She aims to go tomorrow.
6. to direct efforts, as toward an object: The satire aimed at modern greed.
7. Obs. to estimate; guess.
n.
8. the act of aiming or directing anything at or toward a particular point or target.
9. the direction in which a weapon or missile is pointed; the line of sighting: within the cannon's aim.
10. the point intended to be hit; thing or person aimed at: to miss one's aim.
11. something intended or desired to be attained by one's efforts; purpose: whatever his aim in life may be.
12. Obs. conjecture; guess.
13. take aim , to sight a target: to take aim and fire.
[ 1275-1325; late ME aimen a ( e ) smer, eimer, OF aesmer adaestimare, equiv. to L ad- AD- + aestimare (see ESTIMATE); r. ME amen amer aestimare ]
Syn. 1. point. 8. sighting. 10. target, objective. 11. goal; intent, design. AIM, END, OBJECT all imply something that is the goal of one's efforts. AIM implies that toward which one makes a direct line, refusing to be diverted from it: a nobleness of aim; one's aim in life. END emphasizes the goal as a cause of efforts: the end for which one strives. OBJECT emphasizes the goal as that toward which all efforts are directed: the object of years of study.