Adjacent Words

Purpose definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PUR'POSE, n. [L. propositum, propono; pro, before,and pono, to set or place.]
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. We believe the Supreme Being created intelligent beings for some benevolent and glorious purpose, and if so, how glorious and benevolent must be his purpose in the plan of redemption! The ambition of men is generally directed to one of two purposes, or to both; the acquisition of wealth or of power. We build houses for the purpose of shelter; we labor for the purpose of subsistence.
2. Intention; design. This sense, however, is hardly to be distinguished from the former; as purpose always includes the end in view.
Every purpose is established by counsel. Proverbs 20.
Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Ephesians 1.
3. End; effect; consequence, good or bad. What good purpose will this answer? We sometimes labor to no purpose. Men often employ their time, talents and money for very evil purposes.
To what purpose is this waste? Matthew 26.
4. Instance; example. [Not in use.]
5. Conversation. [Not in use.]
Of purpose, on purpose, with previous design; with the mind directed to that object. On purpose is more generally used, but the true phrase is of purpose.
PUR'POSE,v.t. To intend; to design; to resolve; to determine on some end or object to be accomplished.
I have purposed it,I will also do it. Isaiah 46. Ephesians 3.
Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem. Acts 19.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
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: purpose, 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, purpose, role, use]
3: the quality of being determined to do or achieve something; firmness of purpose; "his determination showed in his every movement"; "he is a man of purpose" [syn: determination, purpose] v
1: propose or intend; "I aim to arrive at noon" [syn: aim, purpose, purport, propose]
2: reach a decision; "he resolved never to drink again" [syn: purpose, resolve]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English purpos, from Anglo-French, from purposer to intend, propose, from Latin proponere (perfect indicative proposui) to propose — more at propound Date: 14th century 1. a. something set up as an object or end to be attained ; intention b. resolution, determination 2. a subject under discussion or an action in course of execution Synonyms: see intention II. transitive verb (purposed; purposing) Date: 14th century to propose as an aim to oneself

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 an object to be attained; a thing intended. 2 the intention to act. 3 resolution, determination. --v.tr. have as one's purpose; design, intend. Phrases and idioms: on purpose intentionally. purpose-built (or -made) built or made for a specific purpose. to no purpose with no result or effect. to the purpose 1 relevant. 2 useful. Etymology: ME f. OF porpos, purpos f. L proponere (as PROPOUND)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Purpose Pur"pose, v. t. [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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Purpose Pur"pose, n. [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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Purpose Pur"pose, v. i. To have a purpose or intention; to discourse. [Obs.] --Spenser.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(purposes) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. The purpose of something is the reason for which it is made or done. The purpose of the occasion was to raise money for medical supplies... Various insurance schemes already exist for this purpose. ...the use of nuclear energy for military purposes... He was asked about casualties, but said it would serve no purpose to count bodies... = aim N-COUNT: with supp 2. Your purpose is the thing that you want to achieve. They might well be prepared to do you harm in order to achieve their purpose... His purpose was to make a profit by improving the company's performance. = aim, objective N-COUNT: with poss 3. Purpose is the feeling of having a definite aim and of being determined to achieve it. The teachers are enthusiastic and have a sense of purpose. 4. see also cross-purposes 5. You use for all practical purposes or to all intents and purposes to suggest that a situation is not exactly as you describe it, but the effect is the same as if it were. For all practical purposes the treaty has already ceased to exist... = in effect PHRASE: PHR with cl 6. If you do something on purpose, you do it intentionally. Was it an accident or did David do it on purpose? = intentionally PHRASE: PHR after v

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Aim, intent, intention, design, object, end, drift, view, final cause. 2. Design, project, plan, intention. 3. Sense, meaning, purport. 4. End, effect, consequence. 5. Question, subject-matter in hand. II. v. a. Intend, design, mean, meditate, think of, have in mind, resolve upon, propose to one's self, harbor a design, contemplate, determine upon. III. v. n. Intend, design, mean, have in mind, determine, resolve.

Moby Thesaurus

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