PURPOSE
determination, purpose
(noun) 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”
function, purpose, role, use
(noun) what something is used for; “the function of an auger is to bore holes”; “ballet is beautiful but what use is it?”
purpose, intent, intention, aim, design
(noun) 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”
purpose, resolve
(verb) reach a decision; “he resolved never to drink again”
aim, purpose, purport, propose
(verb) propose or intend; “I aim to arrive at noon”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology 1
Noun
purpose (countable and uncountable, plural purposes)
An objective to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal.
A result that is desired; an intention.
The act of intending to do something; resolution; determination.
The subject of discourse; the point at issue.
The reason for which something is done, or the reason it is done in a particular way.
(obsolete) Instance; example.
Synonyms
• (target): aim, goal, object, target; See also Thesaurus:goal
• (intention): aim, plan, intention; See also Thesaurus:intention
• (determination): determination, intention, resolution
• (subject of discourse): matter, subject, topic
• (reason for doing something): reason
Hyponyms
• common purpose
• metapurpose
Etymology 2
Verb
purpose (third-person singular simple present purposes, present participle purposing, simple past and past participle purposed)
(transitive) To have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan.
(transitive, passive) To design for some purpose.
(obsolete, intransitive) To discourse.
Synonyms
• (have set as one's purpose): aim, intend, mean, plan, set out
• (designed for some purpose): intended
Source: Wiktionary
Pur"pose, n. Etym: [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.
Pur"pose, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Purposed; p. pr. & vb. n. Purposing.]
Etym: [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.
Pur"pose, v. i.
Definition: To have a purpose or intention; to discourse. [Obs.] Spenser.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition