aim

verb

OPAL WOPAL S

/eɪm/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they aim	/eɪm/ /eɪm/
he / she / it aims	/eɪmz/ /eɪmz/
past simple aimed	/eɪmd/ /eɪmd/
past participle aimed	/eɪmd/ /eɪmd/
-ing form aiming	/ˈeɪmɪŋ/ /ˈeɪmɪŋ/

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[intransitive, transitive] to try or plan to achieve something
- He has always aimed high (= tried to achieve a lot).
- aim for something We should aim for a bigger share of the market.
- The team is aiming for the top this season.
- Don't try to aim for perfection.
- aim at something The government is aiming at a 50% reduction in unemployment.
- aim to do something They are aiming to reduce unemployment by 50%.
- The project aims to provide employment for people with learning difficulties.
- We aim to be there around six.
- aim at doing something The training programme aims at raising employees' awareness about human rights.
Extra Examples
- He is aiming for a win in this race.
- She's aiming at a scholarship this year.
- They're aiming at training everybody by the end of the year.
Topics Successb1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
preposition
- at
- for
phrases
- aim high
See full entry
[transitive] be aimed at doing something to have something as an aim
- The initiative is specifically aimed at helping young people.
- These measures are aimed at preventing violent crime.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- clearly
- directly
- squarely
- …
phrases
- be aimed at
See full entry
[transitive, usually passive] to say or do something that is intended to influence or affect a particular person or group
- be aimed at somebody The courses are aimed primarily at older people.
- My criticism wasn't aimed at you.
- The book is aimed at very young children.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- clearly
- directly
- squarely
- …
phrases
- be aimed at
See full entry
[intransitive, transitive] to point or direct a weapon, camera, shot, kick, etc. at somebody/something
- aim at somebody/something I was aiming at the tree but hit the car by mistake.
- aim for somebody/something Aim for the middle of the target.
- aim something at somebody/something The gun was aimed at her head.
- She aimed the gun straight at the intruder.
- aim something I aimed my camera and got one shot.
- aim something + adv./prep. He aimed the rifle in the direction of the target and fired.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- directly
- straight
- carefully
- …
preposition
- at
- for
See full entry

aim

noun

OPAL WOPAL S

/eɪm/

Idioms

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[countable] the purpose of doing something; what somebody is trying to achieve
- the stated aims of the study
- Our main aim is to provide affordable childcare.
- His sole aim in life is to enjoy himself.
- Teamwork is required in order to achieve these aims.
- to pursue/further/fulfil your aims
- She set out the company's aims and objectives in her speech.
- with the aim of doing something The organization was formed with the aim of helping local people.
Synonyms purpose
purpose
- aim
- intention
- plan
- point
- idea
These are all words for talking about what somebody/something intends to do or achieve.
- purpose what something is supposed to achieve; what somebody is trying to achieve:
  Our campaign’s main purpose is to raise money.
- aim what somebody is trying to achieve; what something is supposed to achieve:
  She went to London with the aim of finding a job.
  Our main aim is to increase sales in Europe.
purpose or aim?Your purpose for doing something is your reason for doing it; your aim is what you want to achieve. Aim can suggest that you are only trying to achieve something; purpose gives a stronger sense of achievement being certain. Aim can be somebody’s aim or the aim of something. Purpose is more usually the purpose of something: you can talk about somebody’s purpose but that is more formal.
- intention what you intend to do:
  I have no intention of going to the wedding.
  She’s full of good intentions but they rarely work out.
- plan what you intend to do or achieve:
  There are no plans to build new offices.
intention or plan?Your intentions are what you want to do, especially in the near future; your plans are what you have decided or arranged to do, often, but not always, in the longer term.
- point (rather informal) the purpose or aim of something:
  What’s the point of all this violence?
  The point of the lesson is to compare the two countries.
- idea (rather informal) the purpose of something; somebody’s aim:
  The whole idea of going was so that we could meet her new boyfriend.
  What’s the idea behind this?
point or idea?Point is a more negative word than idea. If you say What’s the point…? you are suggesting that there is no point; if you say What’s the idea…? you are genuinely asking a question. Point, but not idea, is used to talk about things you feel annoyed or unhappy about: There’s no idea in… • I don’t see the idea of…. Patterns
- with the purpose/aim/intention/idea of doing something
- somebody’s intention/plan to do something
- to have a(n) purpose/aim/intention/plan/point
- to achieve/fulfil a(n) purpose/aim
Extra Examples
- She went to London with the aim of finding a job.
- Our main aim is to increase sales in Europe.
- Bob's one aim in life is to earn a lot of money.
- His ultimate aim was to force the chairman to resign.
- It is important to have a clear aim in view.
- You will have to work hard to achieve your aim.
- Simple truth must be the highest aim of any real enquiry.
- The country is still pursuing its aim of joining the EU.
- The express aim of the treaty is to keep the whole region free from nuclear weapons.
- I want to see a strong and united country in which people work together with common aims.
- They were intent on furthering their aims.
- Begin by explaining the aims of the lesson.
Topics Successb1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- broad
- general
- overall
- …
verb + aim
- have
- set (yourself)
- accomplish
- …
preposition
- with the aim of
phrases
- aims and objectives
See full entry
[uncountable, singular] the action or skill of pointing a weapon at somebody/something
- Her aim was good and she hit the lion with her first shot.
- The gunman took aim (= pointed his weapon) and fired.
- His aim was poor and he missed the target.
- It was a perfect aim and there was no way he would miss.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- careful
- direct
- steady
- …
verb + aim
- take
- adjust
preposition
- aim at
See full entry

Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French amer, variant of esmer (from Latin aestimare ‘assess, estimate’), reinforced by aemer, aesmer (from late Latin adaestimare, intensified form of aestimare).

Idioms

take aim at somebody/something

(North American English) to direct your criticism at somebody/something