INDEX:
1. to intend to do something
2. to not intend to do something
3. something that you intend to do
4. when something is intended to do something
5. to tell someone what you intend to do
6. intending to be helpful or kind, but causing problems
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ NO MATTER WHAT/HOW MUCH ETC
↑ DELIBERATELY
↑ PLAN
↑ ACCIDENTALLY
↑ CHANCE
↑ ORGANIZE
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1. to intend to do something
▷ intend to do something /ɪnˌtend tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
if you intend to do something, you have decided that you want to do it at some time in the future :
▪ I wasn’t sure why he’d done it, but I intended to find out.
▪ Most of these students intend to continue their education at university.
▪ Her lawyers stated that they intended to call at least five witnesses.
▷ mean to do something /ˌmiːn tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase] especially spoken
to intend to do something - use this especially when you forget to do something or did not have the chance to do it :
▪ I’ve been meaning to phone Anne for ages.
▪ I meant to tell you, but I forgot.
▪ Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.
▷ be going to do something /biː ˌgəʊɪŋ tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase] especially spoken
if you are going to do something, you have arranged to do it at a particular time - use this to talk about definite arrangements :
▪ Ruth and Al are going to move to Seattle.
▪ I’m going to go to the hospital tomorrow.
▪ The committee is going to have several meetings to get student input.
▷ plan to do something /ˌplæn tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
to intend to do something - use this especially when you have thought carefully about when and how you will do something :
▪ Josie’s planning to return to work after she’s had the baby.
▪ We’re planning to go on vacation in October.
▪ The Board plans to release the report to the press on Sept. 11.
▷ be looking to do something /biː ˌlʊkɪŋ tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase] informal
to intend to achieve something that you are sure you can achieve :
▪ The company is looking to increase its sales in Europe during the next two years.
▪ The Redskins will be looking to repeat their Super Bowl victory next season.
▷ set out to do something /ˌset aʊt tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
to decide to do something and make plans for how you will achieve it, especially in a very determined way :
▪ He set out to make Newcastle the best football team in the country.
▪ The new administration set out to develop a better immigration policy.
▷ be out to do something /biː ˌaʊt tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase] informal
to intend to do something and be determined to succeed :
▪ A young man from Norway is out to be the youngest person ever to finish the race.
▪ Manchester United are out to win the European Cup this year.
be out to get somebody
to intend to do something that harms someone else
▪ Brock believes that Aaronson is out to ruin his reputation.
▷ it is somebody’s intention to do something /ɪt ɪz somebodyˈs ɪnˌtenʃ ə n tə ˈduː something/ formal
use this in public statements, news reports, meetings etc in order to tell people what someone intends to do :
▪ It is our intention to become the number one distributor of health products in the UK.
▪ It was never the department’s intention to prevent teachers from trying out new ideas.
▷ with intent to do something /wɪð ɪnˌtent tə ˈduː something/ [adverb]
use this especially in legal contexts about someone who deliberately intends to do something bad :
do something with intent to do something
▪ Kelly was accused of carrying a deadly weapon with intent to endanger life.
▪ He is charged with using a false name with intent to commit fraud.
2. to not intend to do something
▷ not intend to do something /nɒt ɪnˌtend tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
if you do not intend to do something, you have decided that you will not do it :
▪ She had not intended to speak at the meeting, but felt she had to.
▪ I haven’t seen the film, and I don’t intend to.
▷ not mean to do something /nɒt ˌmiːn tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase] especially spoken
use this to say that, although you did something, you did not do it deliberately :
▪ They hadn’t meant to stay out so late.
▪ Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.
▷ have no intention of doing something /hæv ˌnəʊ ɪnˌtenʃ ə n əv ˈduːɪŋ something/ [verb phrase not in progressive] formal
if you have no intention of doing something, you have firmly decided that you will definitely not do it :
▪ Mr Brown announced that he had no intention of resigning.
▪ The deadline is unreasonable, and they have no intention of trying to meet it.
▷ have no plans to do something/not have any plans to do something /hæv nəʊ ˌplænz tə ˈduː something, nɒt hæv eni ˌplænz tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
if you have no plans to do something, you have not made a decision to do it, although you may decide to do it at a later time :
▪ She has no plans to retire.
▪ He has lived in Thailand for five years, and does not have any plans to go back to the States.
▷ not be serious /nɒt biː ˈsɪ ə riəs/ [verb phrase] especially spoken
to not really intend to do something that you have said that you will do :
▪ He keeps saying he’s going to quit, but I don’t think he’s serious.
not be serious about
▪ Critics said the government wasn’t serious about the environment.
you can’t be serious
spoken say this when you are surprised about what someone has said they intend to do
▪ You can’t be serious about moving to New Orleans.
3. something that you intend to do
▷ intention also intent /ɪnˈtenʃ ə n, ɪnˈtent/ [countable noun] formal :
▪ Army leaders could not guess at the enemy’s movements or intentions.
intention to do something
▪ The government announced its intention to create 50,000 jobs by the end of the year.
with the intention of doing something
▪ Bouvier returned to Europe with the intention of gathering further support for his cause.
have every intention of doing something
use this to emphasize that someone intends to do something
▪ The lawyers had every intention of calling Smythe to the witness stand.
▷ intent /ɪnˈtent/ [singular/uncountable noun] formal
what you intend to do :
▪ The intent of the change was to give local officials more power to make decisions.
intent to do something
▪ It is not my intent to deny the value of university education.
with intent
having the intention to do something - used in legal contexts
▪ He was convicted of possession of cocaine with intent to sell.
4. when something is intended to do something
▷ be intended to do something /biː ɪnˌtendə̇d tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
to be done or made for a particular purpose :
▪ The dress I was given was intended to fit someone much smaller.
▪ The tests are intended to help teachers improve their teaching.
▷ be meant to do something/be supposed to do something /biː ˌment tə ˈduː something, biː səˌpəʊzd tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
to be intended to have a particular result or effect - use this especially when the result or effect is not achieved :
▪ The new laws are supposed to prevent tax fraud.
▪ ‘There’s a Nightmare in My Closet’ is a sweet book meant to help children confront their fears.
5. to tell someone what you intend to do
▷ make your intentions clear/known /meɪk jɔːr ɪnˌtenʃ ə nz ˈklɪəʳ, ˈnəʊn/ [verb phrase]
to let someone know what you intend to do, especially when you think that they do not expect it or will not like it :
▪ The Senator has decided to run for president, and made his intentions known in a public statement Tuesday.
▪ People who want to donate their organs after their deaths should make their intentions clear.
▷ put/lay your cards on the table /ˌpʊt, ˌleɪ jɔːʳ ˌkɑːʳdz ɒn ðə ˈteɪb ə l/ [verb phrase] informal
to tell someone exactly what you intend to do, especially when you have kept it a secret before :
▪ If they’re willing to put all their cards on the table and negotiate, that’s good.
▪ If we want to reach an agreement, we’ll have to lay all our cards on the table.
6. intending to be helpful or kind, but causing problems
▷ mean well /ˌmiːn ˈwel/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
to try to be helpful or kind, but really only cause problems for someone or annoy them :
▪ The doctor meant well, but he was not really listening to me.
▪ She means well, but she’s a bit tactless.
▷ well-meaning /ˌwel ˈmiːnɪŋ◂/ [adjective]
intending to be helpful, but not able to achieve anything useful :
▪ Well-meaning relatives gave me all kinds of advice.
▪ Even well-meaning parents cannot protect their children from everything.
▷ good intentions /ˌgʊd ɪnˈtenʃ ə nz/ [plural noun]
if you have good intentions, you think of doing something helpful or kind, but often never do it :
▪ Good intentions are not enough. Make an exercise programme for yourself and keep to it.
▪ The department’s good intentions have been buried under a mountain of rules and paperwork.
▷ well-meant/well-intentioned /ˌwel ˈment◂, ˌwel ɪnˈtenʃ ə nd◂/ [adjective]
an action or a statement that is well-meant or well-intentioned is intended to be kind or helpful, but either does not help at all, insults someone, or causes harm :
▪ Recent changes in housing policy, though well-meant, have done more harm than good.
▪ Well-intentioned grandparents sometimes interfere with a mother’s way of bringing up her children.