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5 definitions found
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Purpose \Pur"pose\, noun [OF. purpos, pourpos, propos, L. propositum. See {Propound}.]
1. That which a person sets before himself as an object to be reached or accomplished; the end or aim to which the view is directed in any plan, measure, or exertion; view; aim; design; intention; plan.
He will his firste purpos modify. --Chaucer.
As my eternal purpose hath decreed. -- Milton.
The flighty purpose never is o'ertook Unless the deed go with it. --Shak.
2. Proposal to another; discourse. [Obs.] --Spenser.
3. Instance; example. [Obs.] --L'Estrange.
{In purpose}, {Of purpose}, {On purpose}, with previous design; with the mind directed to that object; intentionally. On purpose is the form now generally used.
Syn: design; end; intention; aim. See {Design}.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Purpose \Pur"pose\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Purposed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Purposing}.] [OF. purposer, proposer. See {Propose}.]
1. To set forth; to bring forward. [Obs.]
2. To propose, as an aim, to one's self; to determine upon, as some end or object to be accomplished; to intend; to design; to resolve; -- often followed by an infinitive or dependent clause. --Chaucer.
Did nothing purpose against the state. -- Shak.
I purpose to write the history of England from the accession of King James the Second down to a time which is within the memory of men still living. --Macaulay.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Purpose \Pur"pose\, verb (used without an object) To have a purpose or intention; to discourse. [Obs.] --Spenser.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
purpose
noun
1: an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions; "his intent was to provide a new translation"; "good intentions are not enough"; "it was created with the conscious aim of answering immediate needs"; "he made no secret of his designs" [syn: {intent}, {intention}, {aim}, {design}]
2: what something is used for; "the function of an auger is to bore holes"; "ballet is beautiful but what use is it?" [syn: {function}, {role}, {use}]
3: the quality of being determined to do or achieve something; "his determination showed in his every movement"; "he is a man of purpose" [syn: {determination}]
verb
1: propose or intend; "I aim to arrive at noon" [syn: {aim}, {purport}, {propose}]
2: reach a decision; "he resolved never to drink again" [syn: {resolve}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
145 Moby Thesaurus words for "purpose": advantage, aim, aim at, ambition, animus, aspiration, aspire, aspire after, aspire to, avail, be after, benefit, by design, commitment, conclude, consciously, consider, contemplate, counsel, decide, decidedness, decision, decisiveness, dedication, definiteness, deliberately, deliberateness, deliberation, desideration, desideratum, design, designedly, desire, destination, destine, determinateness, determination, determine, determinedness, devotion, direction, doggedness, drive, drive at, duty, earnestness, effect, end, end use, especially, exactly, expressly, firmness, fix, fixed purpose, function, gain, go for, goal, good, harbor a design, have every intention, have in mind, have in view, idea, immediate purpose, in particular, intend, intendment, intent, intention, intentionally, knowingly, long, mark, mean, meaning, meditate, mind, mission, motivation, motive, nisus, object, objective, obstinacy, office, on purpose, operation, operational purpose, outcome, perseverance, persistence, plan, point, ponder, practicality, precisely, principle, profit, project, proposal, propose, proposition, prospectus, purport, purposefulness, purposely, rationale, reason, relentlessness, resoluteness, resolution, resolve, resolvedness, result, role, sake, scheme, seal, self-will, seriousness, settle, sincerity, single-mindedness, specially, specifically, steadfastness, striving, stubbornness, study, take a resolution, target, tenacity, think, total commitment, ultimate purpose, use, usefulness, utility, view, will, wittingly, work, yearn
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Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. Audio provided by one of our generous visitors. - KM |