aim

noun

1. The pointing of a weapon, as a gun, a dart, or an arrow, or object, in the line of direction with the object intended to be struck; the line of fire; the direction of anything, such as a spear, a blow, a discourse, a remark, towards a particular point or object, with a view to strike or affect it.

   “to take aim”

   “Take time with the aim of your gun.”

   “2012, "The Legend of the Gobblewonker", season 1, episode 2 of Gravity Falls, spoken by Grunkle Stan, voiced by Alex Hirsch My ex-wife still misses me, but her aim is getting better!”

2. The point intended to be hit, or object intended to be attained or affected.
3. Intention or goal.

   “My number one aim in life is to make money to make my parents, siblings, and kids happy.”

   “There is no doubt at all that this is the future of machinery, and just as trees grow while the country gentleman is asleep, so while Humanity will be amusing itself, or enjoying cultivated leisure—which, and not labour, is the aim of man—or making beautiful things, or reading beautiful things, or simply contemplating the world with admiration and delight, machinery will be doing all the necessary and unpleasant work.”

   “As a matter of fact the Enlightment culture was based on a philosophy inspired to an ethical laicism whose aim was to create a better society based on principles such as solidarity, equality of rights and duties, and full freedom.”

4. The ability of someone to aim straight; one’s faculty for being able to hit a physical target.

   “The police officer has excellent aim, always hitting the bullseye in shooting practice.”

   “He has a bad aim, so he decided to join archery classes.”

5. (obsolete)Conjecture; guess.

   “What you would work me to, I have some aim.”

6. (abbreviation, alt-of, initialism)Initialism of America Online AIM; AOL Instant Messenger.
7. (US, abbreviation, acronym, alt-of)Acronym of air intercept missile.

verb

1. (intransitive)To point or direct a missile, or a weapon which propels as missile, towards an object or spot with the intent of hitting it

   “He aimed at the target, but the arrow flew straight over it.”

2. (intransitive)To direct the intention or purpose; to attempt the accomplishment of a purpose; to try to gain; to endeavor;—followed by at, or by an infinitive

   “to aim at a pass”

   “to aim to do well in life”

   “The stories did not seem to me to touch life. They were plainly intended to have a bracing moral effect, and perhaps had this result for the people at whom they were aimed.”

   “Risk is everywhere.[…]For each one there is a frighteningly precise measurement of just how likely it is to jump from the shadows and get you. “The Norm Chronicles”[…]aims to help data-phobes find their way through this blizzard of risks.”

3. (transitive)To direct or point (e.g. a weapon), at a particular object; to direct, as a missile, an act, or a proceeding, at, to, or against an object

   “to aim an arrow at the deer”

   “She aimed a punch at her ex-boyfriend.”

   “He aimed the gun at him and he held his hands up in surrender.”

4. (transitive)To direct (something verbal) towards a certain person, thing, or group

   “to aim a satirical comment at Communists in general”

5. (intransitive, obsolete)To guess or conjecture.

   “But, good my lord, do it so cunningly / That my discovery be not aimed at;”

name

1. (abbreviation, alt-of, initialism)Initialism of Agape International Missions.
2. (abbreviation, alt-of, initialism)Initialism of Asteroid Impact Mission.
3. (Internet, abbreviation, alt-of, historical, initialism)Initialism of AOL Instant Messenger.
4. (abbreviation, alt-of, initialism)Initialism of Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere, a NASA satellite.
5. (UK)AIM, the secondary stock market of the London Stock Exchange; formerly an initialism of Alternative Investment Market.
6. (abbreviation, alt-of, initialism)Initialism of American Indian Movement.

   “There are Schimmel Sister stickers, and Navajo Nation stickers, Cherokee Nation stickers, Idle No More, and AIM flags duct-taped to antennas.”