goal
/ɡəʊl
/noun
1(In football, rugby, hockey, and some other games) a pair of posts linked by a crossbar and typically with a net between, forming a space into or over which the ball has to be sent in order to score.Mr Foxley said there were still some problems with organising the event including installing a set of rugby or American Football posts instead of the football goals....
- The most evident of these is the newly designed entrance, whose metal frame resembles a football goal.
- Shots are made at soccer-style goals rather than a basket and there are seven players in each team.
1.1An instance of sending the ball into or over the goal, especially as a unit of scoring in a game: the decisive opening goal we won by three goals to two...
- But the good thing for the strikers is that we are so sound defensively we don't have to score five goals to win a game.
- For the record, the Brazilian Ronaldo scored two goals in that World Cup final win two years ago.
- They did score the opening goal of the game after ten minutes of play in the first half.
1.2A cage or basket used as a goal in other sports.Usually, basketball is played on a rectangular court with a basketball goal at either end....
- First question, how many goals are on a basketball court, one, two, three or four?
- The sections of netting are connected to the vertically mounted poles or to the basketball goal.
2The object of a person’s ambition or effort; an aim or desired result: he achieved his goal of becoming King of England...
- You move ahead in a single-pointed manner to achieve professional goals and ambitions.
- A slow and steady approach allows you to fulfill ambitions and achieve professional goals.
- It inevitably acts as a barrier to achieving ambitious economic goals.
Synonyms
aim, objective, object, grail, holy grail, end, target, design, desire, desired result, intention, intent, plan, purpose, idea, point, object of the exercise;
ambition, aspiration, wish, dream, hope;
resolve;
French raison d'être
2.1The destination of a journey: the aircraft bumped towards our goal some 400 miles to the west...
- Sensing that the end of the cave was within our grasp we pushed on towards our goal of the East Canal.
2.2 literary A point marking the end of a race.The competitors are allotted a start time and it is a race to the goal.
Phrases
in goal
Derivatives
goalwards
- Carlin's fumble was nodded goalwards by Charlie Christie, the ball struck the bar and Garry Tweedie's efforts to prevent it crossing the line were in vain.
- The former Burnley striker out-jumped his marker and looped a header goalwards that struck the crossbar and then bounced in off the back of a flummoxed Friedel.
- Stanley spent the rest of the game camped in Town's half and sent a barrage of attempts goalwards, more so after Damien Dashti was sent off with nine minutes remaining.
Origin
Middle English (in the sense 'limit, boundary'): of unknown origin.