From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishaimaim1 /eɪm/ ●●● S2 W2 noun 1 [countable]PURPOSE something you hope to achieve by doing somethingaim of The aim of the research is to find new food sources. The main aim of the course is to improve your writing.with the aim of doing something a campaign with the aim of helping victims of crime Teamwork is required in order to achieve these aims. a policy which sets out the school’s aims and objectives► see thesaurus at purpose2 → take aim3 → take aim at somebody/something4 DSSHOOT[uncountable] someone’s ability to hit what they are aiming at when they throw or shoot something Val’s aim was very good.COLLOCATIONSadjectivesthe main/primary/principal aimThe country’s main aim was to slow inflation.the ultimate/eventual/long-term aim (=that you hope to achieve in the end)The ultimate aim is to replace gasoline with non-polluting energy sources.the immediate/initial/short-term aim (=that you hope to achieve quickly)The immediate aim is to develop the travel business.the overall/general/broad aim (=that concerns the main aim rather than all the details)The overall aim of the project is to encourage young people to stay in higher education.Guided by the general aim of the project, we aimed to reach a number of key objectives. a specific aim (=an exact aim)What are the specific aims of the course?the underlying aim (=a basic aim, that people sometimes do not notice)The games all have an underlying aim: survival.a political aimWe utterly condemn any acts of violence in pursuit of political aims.a strategic aim (=that is part of a military, political, or business plan)The broader strategic aims were to safeguard the Dutch East Indies against attack.an educational aimthe educational aims of the schoolsomebody’s declared/stated aim (=an aim that someone has stated clearly)The Department’s declared aim is targeting benefits where they are most needed.a common aim (=an aim that people, countries etc share)We know the value of working closely together to pursue our common aims.verbshave an aimHis trip to Milan, his third in two weeks, had a precise aim.achieve/fulfil your aimThe Internet bank achieved its aim of attracting 50,000 customers last year.Once she had decided to go into publishing, she set out to fulfil her aim.pursue your aims (=try to achieve them over a long period of time)We worked closely together to pursue our common aims.further your aims (=help them to progress or be successful)The group is prepared to use violence to further its political aims.set out the aims of somethingIs there a set of guidelines setting out the aims of study?phrasesa set of aimsThe organization has a set of aims which are listed on its website.aims and objectives (=the things you hope to achieve)These aims and objectives are set out in chapters two and three. THESAURUSaim something you hope to achieve by doing somethingThe main aim of the plan was to provide employment for local people.goal something important that you hope to achieve in the future, even though it may take a long timeThe country can still achieve its goal of reducing poverty by a third.target a particular amount or total that you want to achieveThe company is on track to meet its target of increasing profits by 10%.objective the specific thing that you are trying to achieve – used especially about things that have been officially discussed and agreed upon in business, politics etcTheir main objective is to halt the flow of drugs.We met to set the business objectives for the coming year.ambition something that you very much want to achieve in your future careerHer ambition was to go to law school and become an attorney.Earlier this year, he achieved his ambition of competing in the Olympic Games.
Examples from the Corpus
aim• Rural community autarchy, even if it were an acceptable aim, is a Utopian dream.• Happy but not complacent - our aim must be 100% Good to Excellent.• Increasing student awareness of the issue is one of our aims.• The moral majority are just defeating their own aims.• With perfect aim, Armand struck his opponent in the throat.• Membership of NATO is one of the country's long-term political aims.• The organization's aims are to provide food for homeless people and help them find somewhere to live.• This is unfortunate because wasps are nasty little critters whose sole aim in life is to ruin picnics and barbecues.• On the contrary, the aim was to enable them to give expression to their desires.• There were, however, two important differences in the aims of this study compared to those of Hughes and Cole.• The aim is to produce beers that are sterile, have a long shelf life and are highly profitable.• The aim was that s.15 alone would cover obtaining ownership by deception.• The aim of the bombers was to destroy public property and get maximum publicity.• The aim was to enroll all children in schools close to their homes.aims and objectives• Statements describing proposed changes are normally referred to as aims and objectives.• This is best exemplified in the ambiguous, or sometimes non-existent, aims and objectives of schools.• Have aims and objectives been identified in the early stages and are these goals related to managerial issues? 3.• The expected benefits of improved knowledge and nursing care by the learner can be summarised in aims and objectives.• Once initial aims and objectives are established then all other processes and outcomes are functions of, and subordinate to, them.• We must build a model work with a model of aims and objectives.• Such a structure requires that aims and objectives are explicit and differentiated.• The workbook should be distributed at the beginning of the weekday, together with the aims and objectives for the shop.aimaim2 ●●● S2 W2 verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]PURPOSE to try or intend to achieve somethingaim to do something We aim to finish by Friday.be aimed at doing something an initiative aimed at reducing road accidentsaim for something We’re aiming for a big improvement.2 → aim something at somebody3 [intransitive, transitive]DSSHOOT to choose the place, person etc that you want to hit or reach and point a weapon or another object towards them Denver aimed his gun but did not shoot.aim at/for The pilot was aiming for the runway but came down in a nearby field.GRAMMAR: Patterns with aim• You aim to do something: I aim to study medicine. ✗Don’t say: I aim at studying medicine.• An action is aimed at doing something: Our policies are aimed at encouraging economic growth. ✗Don’t say: Our policies are aimed to encourage economic growth.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
aim• Businessure is aimed at businesses with a turnover of up to £1m and generally involving premiums of up to £5,000 perannum.• The best advertorial in the world will be of no value at all if it is aimed at the wrong audience.• The rocket-launchers are aimed at Washington.• They need a person who sets standards of competence and integrity to be aimed at.• Which part of the target were you aiming at?• You can tell he was a professional killer -- they always aim for the chest.• The man aimed his gun but did not shoot.• He had to aim his headlights at the street signs to find the right one.• Reformed systems of direct support, aimed in particular at helping family farms and crofts.• The firing squad were already aiming their rifles and waiting for the order to shoot.• He picked up his shotgun, aimed, then fired.• The Financial Statement was a voluntary arrangement, which aimed to avoid court action.• If you are lighting a single object, aim to place your fixture so that there is no distracting reflection.• Focalink of Palo Alto aims to provide advertisers with demographic profiles of people who visit various Web sites.aim to do something• The company is aiming to address these problems by offering its own online training service.• The following guides do not aim to be totally comprehensive.• The research also aims to find out whether these practices vary with types of industry.• Microsoft is aiming to have the initial releases of the new operating system available in the second half of 2001.• I'm aiming to lose 10 pounds before July.• Encourage anyone who wishes to help at mealtimes. Aim to make mealtimes and refreshment breaks social occasions.• Fund managers aim to mix a cocktail of bonds that offer a return higher than the interest on a building society deposit.• The élite squads work more intensively and aim to produce at least three prospective candidates in each weight division.• The Oxford based Phoenix Prison Trust is aiming to recruit prisoners to meditation using classes and a book of basic techniques.aim at/for• An alternative form of ability grouping was to aim for as wide a range of ability as possible in each group.• This is aimed at encouraging subscriptions from smaller towns and rural areas where there are no Internet service providers.• The rebels claim they only aim at military targets.• Additional police officers were put on the street to enforce an 8 p. m. curfew aimed at preventing looting.• The Food and Drug Administration Tuesday announced a program aimed at providing consumers with better information about prescription drugs.• Changes in the penalties for speeding are aimed at putting fear into the hearts of anyone considering edging over the limit.• They use solar collectors and windmills for energy supply and each region aims at self-sufficiency in proteins.• I aimed for that hoot in the grill.AIMAIM // → the AIMFrom Longman Business DictionaryAIMAIM /eɪm/ noun FINANCE Alternative Investment Market; a stock market in Britain for new small companies, part of the London Stock ExchangeOrigin aim2 (1300-1400) Old French aesmer, from Latin aestimare; → ESTIMATE2 