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GOAL
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A successful attempt at scoring
Example:
the winning goal came with less than a minute left to play
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("goal" is a kind of...):
score (the act of scoring in a game or sport)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "goal"):
own goal ((soccer) a goal that results when a player inadvertently knocks the ball into the goal he is defending)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Game equipment consisting of the place toward which players of a game try to advance a ball or puck in order to score points
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Hypernyms ("goal" is a kind of...):
game equipment (equipment or apparatus used in playing a game)
Meronyms (parts of "goal"):
bar (an obstruction (usually metal) placed at the top of a goal)
goalpost (one of a pair of posts (usually joined by a crossbar) that are set up as a goal at each end of a playing field)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "goal"):
basket; basketball hoop; hoop (horizontal circular metal hoop supporting a net through which players try to throw the basketball)
net (a goal lined with netting (as in soccer or hockey))
Sense 3
Meaning:
The state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to achieve it
Example:
the ends justify the means
Synonyms:
end; goal
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Hypernyms ("goal" is a kind of...):
cognitive content; content; mental object (the sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "goal"):
aim; object; objective; target (the goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable))
bourn; bourne (an archaic term for a goal or destination)
end-all (the ultimate goal)
destination; terminus (the ultimate goal for which something is done)
no-goal (a nonexistent goal)
aim; design; intent; intention; purpose (an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions)
intention ((usually plural) the goal with respect to a marriage proposal)
Holonyms ("goal" is a part of...):
plan of action (a plan for actively doing something)
Sense 4
Meaning:
The place designated as the end (as of a race or journey)
Example:
he was nearly exhausted as their destination came into view
Synonyms:
destination; finish; goal
Classified under:
Nouns denoting spatial position
Hypernyms ("goal" is a kind of...):
end; terminal (either extremity of something that has length)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "goal"):
finish line; finishing line (a line indicating the location of the finish of a race)
Context examples:
The goal is to help with symptoms and limit the production of proteins.
(Amyloidosis, NIH)
The primary goal of breathing is the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen that is critical for life.
(Star-like cells may help the brain tune breathing rhythms, National Institutes of Health)
A scientific and educational association of surgeons with the main goal to improve the quality of care for the surgical patient by setting high standards for surgical education and practice.
(American College of Surgeons, NCI Thesaurus)
The three goals of the AREA program are: to support meritorious research, to strengthen the research environment of the institution, and to expose students to research.
(Academic Research Enhancement Awards (Area), NCI Thesaurus)
Treatment depends on the disease, but in most cases one important goal is to reduce inflammation.
(Autoimmune Diseases, NIH)
In that case, the goal of treatment is to improve symptoms.
(Autonomic Nervous System Disorders, NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
Surgical removal of both non-diseased ovaries with the goal of preventing ovarian carcinoma.
(Bilateral Prophylactic Oophorectomy, NCI Thesaurus)
Surgical removal of both non-diseased breasts with the goal of preventing breast carcinoma.
(Bilateral prophylactic mastectomy, NCI Thesaurus)
The goal of the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute is the ultimate prevention and cure of cancer.
(Barbara Ann Karmano Cancer Institute, NCI Thesaurus)
The researchers' main goal was to study star formation along the tail.
(Hubble Sees Plunging Galaxy Losing Its Gas, NASA)
