purpose
Word family
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++pur·pose /ˈpɜːpəs $ ˈpɜːr-/ ●●● S2 W2 noun 1 [countable]PURPOSE the purpose of something is what it is intended to achieve 目的，意图purpose of The purpose of this meeting is to elect a new chairman. 这次会议的目的是选出一位新主席。 What is the purpose of your visit? 你来访的目的是什么？the purpose of doing something The purpose of conducting a business is to make money. 做生意就是为了赚钱。for the purpose of doing something Troops were sent solely for the purpose of assisting refugees. 派遣军队目的只在于援助难民。for medical/political/decorative etc purposes It should be legitimate to use cannabis for medical purposes. 为医疗用途使用大麻应当是合法的。sole/primary/main etc purpose The protection of children is the primary purpose of this legislation. 保护儿童是这项立法的基本目的。serve a purpose (=achieve something) 达到目的 It would serve no useful purpose to re-open the investigation. 重新开始调查是没有意义的。2 [countable] a plan or aim 计划，目的 Nick had no particular purpose in mind when he started. 尼克开始的时候头脑中并没有明确的目标。somebody’s purpose in doing something Attending the race was not my purpose in coming to Indianapolis. 我来印第安纳波利斯不是为了参加比赛。with the purpose of doing something He came here with the purpose of carrying out the attack. 他来这里是为了实施攻击。3 for ... purposes in a particular situation or when being considered in a particular way 在…情况下 For tax purposes, you will be treated as a married couple. 报税时你们俩将被视作已婚夫妇。 The details are, for the present purposes, irrelevant. 目前情况下，这些细节无关紧要。for the purposes of something For the purposes of this book, America is taken to include the continent north of Mexico. 在这本书里，美洲是指墨西哥以北的大陆。4 on purpose DELIBERATELYdeliberately 故意（地），有意（地）do something on purpose You make it sound as if I did it on purpose! 你的话听起来好像是我有意那么做的！5 feeling 想法 [uncountable]PURPOSE a feeling of determination to achieve things in life 〔达到生活目标的〕决心，毅力 It’s so important to have a sense of purpose that it underlies human happiness. 生活目标很重要，有了它人生才会幸福。 My football career was over and I had no purpose in life. 足球生涯的结束让我觉得生活失去了意义。 He possessed great strength of purpose. 他拥有坚强的意志。6 for all practical purposes (also to all intents and purposes)ALMOST used to say that something is so close to the truth that it can be considered to be the truth 实际上；大体上 The war, to all intents and purposes, was over. 战争实际上已经结束了。 We have a secretary of state for Scotland who is for all practical purposes a Scottish prime minister. 我们有一位苏格兰事务大臣，实际上就是苏格兰的首相。7 serve its purpose USEFULif something has served its purpose, it has done what you needed it to do 起到应有的作用8 defeat the purpose to fail to achieve the result you want 没有达到目的9 to no purpose formalRESULT without any useful results 毫无效果10. to the purpose old-fashionedUSEFUL useful or helpful 有用的；有益的，有帮助的 → purposely, cross-purposesn COLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2adjectivesthe main/primary purposeThe main purpose of our trip to Arran was to see golden eagles.the sole purposeI used to bake cakes for the sole purpose of giving them away.the real purposeWhat was the real purpose of their visit?the whole purpose (=used for emphasis)The whole purpose of running a business is to make money.something’s original purposeThe building is no longer needed for its original purpose.a useful purposeNuclear weapons serve no useful purpose and should be banned.a practical purposeThese materials are too fine to have a practical purpose in daily life.a dual purpose (=two purposes)A dog can fulfil a dual purpose by providing both company and security.a common purpose (=one that people share)We were bound together by a common purpose.a specific/particular purposeTraining is the acquisition of knowledge and skills for a specific purpose.phrasesfor political/military/educational/medicinal etc purposesThis technology could be used for military purposes.for business/research etc purposesAbout one in five of all trips are made for business purposes.verbshave a purposeA meeting should have a clear purpose.serve/fulfil a purpose (=be used in a particular way)The building must have served a religious purpose.Many old school buildings are no longer suitable for fulfilling their original purpose.achieve your purpose (=achieve what you wanted to achieve)She had achieved her purpose, at least in part. THESAURUSpurpose the reason you do something, and the thing you want to achieve when you do it 目的,意图What is the purpose of your visit to England? 你去英国的目的是什么？The plant is used for medicinal purposes. 这种植物可作药用。aim what you want to achieve when you do something 目的,目标The main aims of the project are as follows. 这个项目的主要目的如下所述。Their ultimate aim is to find a cure for cancer. 他们的最终目的是找到一种治疗癌症的方法。goal something that you hope to achieve in the future, even though this may take a long time 〔未来的〕目标It took Mandela over forty years to achieve his goal of a democratic South Africa. 曼德拉用了四十多年时间终于实现了南非民主化的目标。the goal of ending child poverty 消除儿童穷困的目标objective something that you are working hard to achieve, especially in business or politics 〔尤指商业或政治〕目标The bank achieved its objective of increasing its share of the market. 这家银行实现了提高市场份额的目标。The government’s long-term objective is to cut CO2 emissions by 50%. 政府的长期目标是把二氧化碳排放量减少50%。the object of something formal the specific purpose of an activity 某事物的目的The object of the game is to get as many points as possible. 这项比赛的目标是尽可能多地得分。The students will benefit, and that must be the object of the exercise (=the main thing that you are trying to do). 让学生从中获益必须是这项练习的目的所在。the point the purpose of doing something and the reason why it is right or necessary 目的,理由At fourteen, I couldn’t see the point of going to school. 十四岁时我不明白上学意义何在。What’s the point in waiting? (=I don’t think it is useful or necessary) 等下去有什么用？intention the purpose that you have in your mind when you do something 意图,目的He kept his real intentions well hidden. 他很好地掩盖了自己的真正意图。Although we made a lot of money, this wasn’t our original intention. 尽管我们赚了很多钱,但这并非我们的初衷。ends the result that someone is trying to achieve – used especially when you disapprove of what someone is doing 目的,结果〔尤用于贬义〕They are using religion for political ends. 他们在利用宗教来达到其政治目的。The ends do not justify the means (=you should not use violence, cruelty, dishonest behaviour etc to achieve your aims). 不可为了达到目的而不择手段。Examples from the Corpus
purpose• The central purpose is to hammer out long-term strategies for the nation as a whole.• The games have an educational purpose.• Defining that role is the main purpose of this chapter.• The main purpose of the meeting is to discuss who will be in the team.• My purpose in writing this book was to draw attention to the problem of global warming.• Its body is dedicated to this one purpose.• The group's purpose is to help disabled teenagers have fun and meet new friends.• He always handled such events with the same purpose.• This year, the picnic has a solemn purpose.• The arbitrariness of this classification is well illustrated when an individual chooses, for tax purposes, to be regarded as self-employed.• There is no penalty if the quarterback deliberately throws the ball out of bounds for the purpose of stopping play.• The ritual done, we settle at last into fulfilling the purpose of this expedition.• The purpose of the experiment is to find better ways of treating battlefield wounds.• Read up on starting a small business. Loans can be obtained for this purpose.purpose of• The purpose of this exercise is to increase your strength.somebody’s purpose in doing something• An immense pile of out-of-date articles will possibly obscure the purpose in view and deter the student from learning.• For example, double or triple wall sheets that are used for glazing purposes in conservatories are ideal.• Here the dislike serves a useful purpose in keeping the family as an isolated unit.• The watchdog sees more purpose in changing demand with domestic water meters.• Their purpose in coming here had been to intercede for the soul of Colonel Fergusson.• This suggests as much as a triple purpose in Kant's analysis of our concern for animals.• Today's reading, by Cardinal Newman, gives us the reassurance that there is a purpose in our lives.• When he first came into office, Clinton did have a few grander purposes in mind, particularly universal health care.sense of purpose• Oh, for a sense of purpose.• When that is taken away, the new retiree may no longer have a sense of purpose.• Raised beds should have a sense of purpose, proportion and design.• If large goals are broken down into small specified short-term tasks, a sense of purpose is created.• The wing, I found, had inadequate focus and a fuzzy sense of purpose.• Starting his own business gave him a new sense of purpose in his life.• The Star was reborn in 1941 with a new format and a renewed sense of purpose.• There are a couple of duds on Double Good Everything but there's also a sharper sense of purpose.Origin purpose (1200-1300) Old French purpos, from purposer “to intend”, from Latin proponere; → PROPOUNDpur·pose noun →n COLLOCATIONS1 →THESAURUS1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
something what is purpose it the of Corpus is
purpose
pur‧pose S2 W2 /ˈpɜːpəs $ ˈpɜːr-/
noun
purpose of
The purpose of this meeting is to elect a new chairman.
What is the purpose of your visit?
the purpose of doing something
The purpose of conducting a business is to make money.
for the purpose of doing something
Troops were sent solely for the purpose of assisting refugees.
for medical/political/decorative etc purposes
It should be legitimate to use cannabis for medical purposes.
sole/primary/main etc purpose
The protection of children is the primary purpose of this legislation.
serve a purpose (=achieve something)
It would serve no useful purpose to re-open the investigation.
2. [countable] a plan or aim:
Nick had no particular purpose in mind when he started.
sb’s purpose in doing something
Attending the race was not my purpose in coming to Indianapolis.
with the purpose of doing something
He came here with the purpose of carrying out the attack.
3. for ... purposes in a particular situation or when being considered in a particular way:
For tax purposes , you will be treated as a married couple.
The details are, for the present purposes, irrelevant.
for the purposes of something
For the purposes of this book, America is taken to include the continent north of Mexico.
4. on purpose deliberately
do something on purpose
You make it sound as if I did it on purpose!
5. FEELING [uncountable] a feeling of determination to achieve things in life:
It’s so important to have a sense of purpose that it underlies human happiness.
My football career was over and I had no purpose in life.
He possessed great strength of purpose.
6. for all practical purposes (also to all intents and purposes) used to say that something is so close to the truth that it can be considered to be the truth:
The war, to all intents and purposes, was over.
We have a Secretary of State for Scotland who is for all practical purposes a Scottish Prime Minister.
7. serve its purpose if something has served its purpose, it has done what you needed it to do:
We delete the data once it has served its purpose.
8. defeat the purpose to fail to achieve the result you want:
Anxiety will cause tension, which defeats the purpose of the exercise (=the activity or plan).
9. to no purpose formal without any useful results:
She called after them, but to no purpose.
10. to the purpose old-fashioned useful or helpful
⇨ purposely, cross-purposes
■ adjectives
▪the main/primary purpose The main purpose of our trip to Arran was to see golden eagles.
▪the sole purpose I used to bake cakes for the sole purpose of giving them away.
▪the real purpose What was the real purpose of their visit?
▪the whole purpose (=used for emphasis) The whole purpose of running a business is to make money.
▪sth’s original purpose The building is no longer needed for its original purpose.
▪a useful purpose Nuclear weapons serve no useful purpose and should be banned.
▪a practical purpose These materials are too fine to have a practical purpose in daily life.
▪a dual purpose (=two purposes) A dog can fulfil a dual purpose by providing both company and security.
▪a common purpose (=one that people share) We were bound together by a common purpose.
▪a specific/particular purpose Training is the acquisition of knowledge and skills for a specific purpose.
■ phrases
▪for political/military/educational/medicinal etc purposes This technology could be used for military purposes.
▪for business/research etc purposes About one in five of all trips are made for business purposes.
■ verbs
▪have a purpose A meeting should have a clear purpose.
▪serve/fulfil a purpose (=be used in a particular way) The building must have served a religious purpose. | Many old school buildings are no longer suitable for fulfilling their original purpose.
▪achieve your purpose (=achieve what you wanted to achieve) She had achieved her purpose, at least in part.
▪ purpose the reason you do something, and the thing you want to achieve when you do it: What is the purpose of your visit to England? | The plant is used for medicinal purposes.
▪aim what you want to achieve when you do something: The main aims of the project are as follows. | Their ultimate aim is to find a cure for cancer.
▪goal something that you hope to achieve in the future, even though this may take a long time: It took Mandela over forty years to achieve his goal of a democratic South Africa. | the goal of ending child poverty
▪objective something that you are working hard to achieve, especially in business or politics: The bank achieved its objective of increasing its share of the market. | The government’s long-term objective is to cut CO2 emissions by 50%.
▪the object of something formal the specific purpose of an activity: The object of the game is to get as many points as possible. | The students will benefit, and that must be the object of the exercise (=the main thing that you are trying to do).
▪the point the purpose of doing something and the reason why it is right or necessary: At fourteen, I couldn’t see the point of going to school. | What’s the point in waiting? (=I don’t think it is useful or necessary)
▪intention the purpose that you have in your mind when you do something: He kept his real intentions well hidden. | Although we made a lot of money, this wasn’t our original intention.
▪ends the result that someone is trying to achieve – used especially when you disapprove of what someone is doing: They are using religion for political ends. | The ends do not justify the means (=you should not use violence, cruelty, dishonest behaviour etc to achieve your aims).
pur‧pose S2 W2 /ˈpɜːpəs $ ˈpɜːr-/
noun Word Family: noun: purpose, purposefulness ≠ purposelessness; adverb: purposefully ≠ purposelessly, purposely; adjective: purposeful ≠ purposeless
Date: 1200-1300
Language: Old French
Origin: purpos, from purposer 'to intend', from Latin proponere; ⇨ propound
1. [countable] the purpose of something is what it is intended to achieveLanguage: Old French
Origin: purpos, from purposer 'to intend', from Latin proponere; ⇨ propound
purpose of
the purpose of doing something
for the purpose of doing something
for medical/political/decorative etc purposes
sole/primary/main etc purpose
serve a purpose (=achieve something)
2. [countable] a plan or aim:
sb’s purpose in doing something
with the purpose of doing something
3. for ... purposes in a particular situation or when being considered in a particular way:
for the purposes of something
4. on purpose deliberately
do something on purpose
5. FEELING [uncountable] a feeling of determination to achieve things in life:
6. for all practical purposes (also to all intents and purposes) used to say that something is so close to the truth that it can be considered to be the truth:
7. serve its purpose if something has served its purpose, it has done what you needed it to do:
8. defeat the purpose to fail to achieve the result you want:
9. to no purpose formal without any useful results:
10. to the purpose old-fashioned useful or helpful
⇨ purposely, cross-purposes
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purpose what sth is supposed to achieve; what sb is trying to achieve 指目的、目标 ：◆ Our campaign's main purpose is to raise money. 我们这次活动的主要目的是募款。 aim what sb is trying to achieve; what sth is supposed to achieve 指目标、目的 ：◆ She went to London with the aim of finding a job. 她去伦敦是为了找工作。 ◆ Our main aim is to increase sales in Europe. 我们的主要目标是增加在欧洲的销售量。
purpose or aim? 用 purpose 还是 aim？
intention what you intend to do 指打算、计划、意图 ：◆ I have no intention of going to the wedding. 我无意去参加婚礼。 ◆ She's full of good intentions but they rarely work out.她虽然处处出于善意，却很少行的通。 plan what you intend to do or achieve 指计划、打算 ：◆ There are no plans to build new offices. 现在没有建新办公楼的计划。
intention or plan? 用 intention 还是 plan？
point ( the purpose or aim of sthrather
指意图、目的、理由 ：◆ What's the point of all this violence?这些暴行的意图何在？ ◆ The point of the lesson is to compare the two countries. 本课的目的是比较这两个国家。 idea ( the purpose of sth; sb's aimrather
指目的、意图 ：◆ The whole idea of going was so that we could meet her new boyfriend. 我们去的唯一目的就是要见她的新男朋友。 ◆ What's the idea behind this?这背后的意图是什么？
point or idea? 用 point 还是 idea？
Patterns
with the purpose/aim/intention/ideaof doing sthsb's intention/plan to do sth to have a(n) purpose/aim/intention/plan/pointto achieve/fulfil a(n) purpose/aim
