different between intent vs wish

English

Alternative forms

• entent (obsolete)

Etymology

Existing since Middle English entente, from Old French entent or entente, ultimately from Latin intentus. Modified later in spelling to align more closely with the Latin word. Compare intention.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?n?t?nt/

  Rhymes: -?nt

Noun

intent (countable and uncountable, plural intents)

1. A purpose; something that is intended.
2. (law) The state of someone’s mind at the time of committing an offence.

Synonyms

• (something that is intended): See also Thesaurus:intention

Translations

Adjective

intent (comparative more intent, superlative most intent)

1. Firmly fixed or concentrated on something.
   • 2014, Daniel Taylor, "World Cup 2014: Uruguay sink England as Suárez makes his mark," guardian.co.uk, 20 June:

     Uruguay were quick to the ball, strong in the tackle and seemed intent on showing they were a better team than had been apparent in their defeat to Costa Rica.

   • And it was while all were passionately intent upon the pleasing and snake-like progress of their uncle that a young girl in furs, ascending the stairs two at a time, peeped perfunctorily into the nursery as she passed the hallway—and halted amazed.

2. Engrossed.
3. Unwavering from a course of action.

Translations

Related terms

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin intentus.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Valencian) IPA^(key): /in?tent/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /in?ten/

Noun

intent m (plural intents)

1. try, intent
2. (castells) a castell that collapses before its construction is completed (as opposed to a castell carregat, which collapses after it is completed, or an intent desmuntat, which is not completed but is successfully dismantled without collapsing)

Related terms

• intenció
• intentar

Further reading

• “intent” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “intent” in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana.
• “intent” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “intent” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

English

Etymology

From Middle English wisshen, wischen, wüschen, from Old English w?s?an (“to wish”), from Proto-West Germanic *wunskijan, from Proto-Germanic *wunskijan? (“to wish”), from Proto-Indo-European *wun-, *wenh?- (“to wish, love”).

Cognate with Scots wis (“to wish”), Saterland Frisian wonskje (“to wish”), West Frisian winskje (“to wish”), Dutch wensen (“to wish”), German wünschen (“to wish”), Danish ønske (“to wish”), Icelandic æskja, óska (“to wish”), Latin Venus, veneror (“venerate, honour, love”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: w?sh, IPA^(key): /w??/
• Rhymes: -??
• Homophone: whish (in accents with the wine-whine merger)

Noun

wish (plural wishes)

1. A desire, hope, or longing for something or for something to happen.
2. An expression of such a desire, often connected with ideas of magic and supernatural power.
3. The thing desired or longed for.
   • 1901, W. W. Jacobs, The Monkey's Paw

     "I suppose all old soldiers are the same," said Mrs White. "The idea of our listening to such nonsense! How could wishes be granted in these days? And if they could, how could two hundred pounds hurt you, father?" / "Might drop on his head from the sky," said the frivolous Herbert.

4. (Sussex) A water meadow.

Usage notes

• Collocates with make for the common expression make a wish. See Appendix:Collocations of do, have, make, and take

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• precatory
• velleity

Verb

wish (third-person singular simple present wishes, present participle wishing, simple past and past participle wished)

1. (transitive) To desire; to want.
   • 1716, Jonathan Swift, Phyllis, or the Progress of Love

     Now John the butler must be sent
     To learn the road that Phyllis went:
     The groom was wished to saddle Crop;
     For John must neither light nor stop,
     But find her, wheresoe'er she fled,
     And bring her back alive or dead.
2. (transitive, now rare) To hope (+ object clause with may or in present subjunctive).
   • 1748, Samuel Richardson, Clarissa, Letter 84:

     I wish he mean me well, that he takes so much pains!

   • 1808, Jane Austen, letter, 1 October:

     She hears that Miss Bigg is to be married in a fortnight. I wish it may be so.

3. (intransitive, followed by for) To hope (for a particular outcome).
   • 1727, John Arbuthnot, Tables of Ancient Coins, Weights and Measures

     This is as good an argument as an antiquary could wish for.

   • 1901, W. W. Jacobs, The Monkey's Paw

     Mr. White took the paw from his pocket and eyed it dubiously. "I don't know what to wish for, and that's a fact," he said slowly. "It seems to me I've got all I want."

4. (ditransitive) To bestow (a thought or gesture) towards (someone or something).
   • Let them be driven backward, and put to shame, that wish me evil.

5. (intransitive, followed by to and an infinitive) To request or desire to do an activity.
6. (transitive) To recommend; to seek confidence or favour on behalf of.
   • 1610, Ben Jonson, The Alchemist

     I was wished to your worship by a gentleman.

Usage notes

• In sense 4, this is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Derived terms

Translations

References

• wish at OneLook Dictionary Search
• wish in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.