different between aim vs substance

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /e?m/
• Rhymes: -e?m

Etymology 1

From Middle English amen, aimen, eimen (“to guess at, to estimate, to aim”), borrowed from Old French esmer, aesmer, asmer, from Latin ad- plus aestimare (“to estimate”), the compound perhaps being originally formed in Medieval Latin (adaestimare), perhaps in Old French.

Noun

aim (plural aims)

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.

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

   Synonyms: purpose, design, scheme

   • 1891, Oscar Wilde, The Soul of Man Under Socialism

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

5. (obsolete) Conjecture; guess.

Synonyms

• (intention): aspiration, design, end, ettle, intention, mint, object, purpose, scheme, scope, tendency; See also Thesaurus:goal or Thesaurus:intention

Derived terms

• aimless
• take aim

Translations

Verb

aim (third-person singular simple present aims, present participle aiming, simple past and past participle aimed)

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

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
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

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

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

Usage notes

• Sense 2. This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Derived terms

• aim at
• ready, aim, fire!

Translations

Etymology 2

Noun

aim

1. Initialism of America Online. AIM; AOL Instant Messenger.

Further reading

• aim in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• aim in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• AMI, I am, I'm a, I'm a', I'm'a, I'm-a, I'ma, IAM, Ima, Ima', MAI, MIA, Mai, Mia, i'm'a, i'ma, ima, mai, mia

Estonian

Etymology

Of Finnic origin. Cognate to Finnish aimottaa.

Noun

aim (genitive aimu, partitive aimu)

1. sense, idea of something, feeling

   Pole aimugi.

   I have no idea.

Declension

English

Alternative forms

• substaunce (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle English substance, from Old French substance, from Latin substantia (“substance, essence”), from subst?ns, present active participle of subst? (“exist”, literally “stand under”), from sub + st? (“stand”).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?s?bst?ns/, [?s?bst?nts]

Noun

substance (countable and uncountable, plural substances)

1. Physical matter; material.
   • 1699, William Temple, Heads designed for an essay on conversations

     Study gives strength to the mind; conversation, grace: the first apt to give stiffness, the other suppleness: one gives substance and form to the statue, the other polishes it.

   Synonyms: matter, stuff

2. The essential part of anything; the most vital part.

   • Heroic virtue did his actions guide, / And he the substance, not the appearance, chose.

   • 1684-1690, Thomas Burnet, Sacred Theory of the Earth

     This edition is the same in substance with the Latin.

   • 1796, Edmund Burke, Letters on a Regicide Peace

     It is insolent in words, in manner; but in substance it is not only insulting, but alarming.

   Synonyms: crux, gist

3. Substantiality; solidity; firmness.

4. Material possessions; estate; property; resources.

   • And there wasted his substance with riotous living.
5. A form of matter that has constant chemical composition and characteristic properties.
6. Drugs (illegal narcotics)

   Synonyms: dope, gear

7. (theology) Hypostasis.

Synonyms

• (physical matter): See also Thesaurus:substance
• (essential part of anything): See also Thesaurus:gist
• (drugs): See also Thesaurus:recreational drug

Related terms

Translations

Verb

substance (third-person singular simple present substances, present participle substancing, simple past and past participle substanced)

1. (rare, transitive) To give substance to; to make real or substantial.

See also

• style

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin substantia (“substance, essence”), from subst?ns, present active participle of subst? (“exist”, literally “stand under”), from sub + st? (“stand”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /syp.st??s/
• Rhymes: -??s

Noun

substance f (plural substances)

1. substance

Derived terms

Further reading

• “substance” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• cubassent

Middle English

Etymology

From Old French substance.

Noun

substance

1. essence

Descendants

• English: substance

Old French

Alternative forms

• sostance, sustance

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin substantia.

Noun

substance f (oblique plural substances, nominative singular substance, nominative plural substances)

1. most essential; substantial part
2. existence

Related terms

• substantiel

Descendants