| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| intention |
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| SYLLABICATION: | in·ten·tion |
| PRONUNCIATION: |   n-t n sh n |
| NOUN: | 1. A course of action that one intends to follow. 2a. An aim that guides action; an objective. b. intentions Purpose with respect to marriage: honorable intentions. 3. Medicine The process by which or the manner in which a wound heals. 4. Archaic Import; meaning. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English entencioun, from Old French intention, from Latin intenti , intentin-, from intentus, intent, from past participle of intendere, to direct attention. See intend. | | SYNONYMS: | intention, intent, purpose, goal, end, aim, object, objective These nouns refer to what one plans to do or achieve. Intention simply signifies a course of action that one proposes to follow: It is my intention to take a vacation next month. Intent more strongly implies deliberateness: The executor complied with the testator's intent. Purpose strengthens the idea of resolution or determination: “His purpose was to discover how long these guests intended to stay” (Joseph Conrad). Goal may suggest an idealistic or long-term purpose: The college's goal was to raise ten million dollars for a new library. End suggests a long-range goal: The candidate wanted to win and pursued every means to achieve that end. Aim stresses the direction one's efforts take in pursuit of an end: The aim of most students is to graduate. An object is an end that one tries to carry out: The object of chess is to capture your opponent's king. Objective often implies that the end or goal can be reached: The report outlines the committee's objectives.
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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