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Attempt vs Aim - What's the difference?

attempt | aim | Synonyms |

In obsolete terms the difference between attempt and aim

is that attempt is to try to move, by entreaty, by afflictions, or by temptations; to tempt while aim is to guess or conjecture.

As verbs the difference between attempt and aim

is that attempt is to try while aim is to point or direct a missile weapon, or a weapon which propels as missile, towards an object or spot with the intent of hitting it; as, to aim at a fox, or at a target.

As nouns the difference between attempt and aim

is that attempt is the action of trying at something while aim is 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, as a spear, a blow, a discourse, a remark, towards a particular point or object, with a view to strike or affect it.

As an initialism aim is

aIM; AOL Instant Messenger.

attempt

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To try.
    • I attempted to sing, but my throat was too hoarse.
    to attempt an escape from prison
  • * Longfellow
    • Something attempted , something done, / Has earned a night's repose.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author= Sarah Glaz
    • , title= Ode to Prime Numbers , volume=101, issue=4, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Some poems, echoing the purpose of early poetic treatises on scientific principles, attempt to elucidate the mathematical concepts that underlie prime numbers. Others play with primes’ cultural associations. Still others derive their structure from mathematical patterns involving primes.}}
  • (obsolete) To try to move, by entreaty, by afflictions, or by temptations; to tempt.
  • * Thackeray
    • It made the laughter of an afternoon / That Vivien should attempt the blameless king.
  • (archaic) To try to win, subdue, or overcome.
    • one who attempts the virtue of a woman
  • * Shakespeare
    • Dear sir, of force I must attempt you further: / Take some remembrance of us, as a tribute.
  • (archaic) To attack; to make an effort or attack upon; to try to take by force.
    • to attempt the enemy's camp
  • * Motley
    • without attempting his adversary's life

    Usage notes

    * This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive . See

    Synonyms

    * take a stab at, take a run at

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The action of trying at something.
  • * We made an attempt to cross the stream, but didn't manage.
  • * This poem is much better than the feeble attempt of mine.
  • * It was worth the attempt .
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2012-03
    • , author=William E. Carter, Merri Sue Carter , title=The British Longitude Act Reconsidered , volume=100, issue=2, page=87 , magazine= citation , passage=But was it responsible governance to pass the Longitude Act without other efforts to protect British seamen? Or might it have been subterfuge—a disingenuous attempt to shift attention away from the realities of their life at sea}}
  • An assault or attack, especially an assassination attempt.
  • * 1584' ''No man can charge us of any '''attempt against the realm. (Allen's Defence Of English Catholics, cited after Edinburgh review 1883, p. 378)

    • Usage notes

    * Adjectives often applied to "attempt": first, failed, desperate, last, half-hearted, unsuccessful, serious, successful, feeble, new, honest, vain, sincere, ambitious, earnest, clumsy, direct, hard, brilliant, official, useless, clever, sophisticated, amateurish.

    Synonyms

    * effort * try

    Statistics

    *

    External links

    * * * English control verbs

    aim

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • 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, as a spear, a blow, a discourse, a remark, towards a particular point or object, with a view to strike or affect it.
  • The point intended to be hit, or object intended to be attained or affected.
  • Intention; purpose; design; scheme.
    • My number one aim in life is to make money to make my parents, siblings and kids happy .
  • (obsolete) Conjecture; guess.
  • * Shakespeare
    • What you would work me to, I have some aim .
    Synonyms
    * (intention) aspiration, design, end, ettle, intention, mint, object, purpose, scheme, scope, tendency * See also

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To point or direct a missile weapon, or a weapon which propels as missile, towards an object or spot with the intent of hitting it; as, to aim at a fox, or at a target.
  • 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; as, to aim at distinction; to aim to do well.
  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=1 , passage=The stories did not seem to me to touch life. They were plainly intended to have a bracing moral effect, and perhaps had this result for the people at whom they were aimed .}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-22, volume=407, issue=8841, page=76, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= Snakes and ladders , passage=Risk is everywhere.
  • To direct or point, as a weapon, at a particular object; to direct, as a missile, an act, or a proceeding, at, to, or against an object; as, to aim a musket or an arrow, the fist or a blow (at something); to aim a satire or a reflection (at some person or vice).
  • (obsolete) To guess or conjecture.
    • (Shakespeare)
    Usage notes
    * Sense 3. This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive . See
    Derived terms
    * aim at *

    Etymology 2

    Initialism

    (Initialism) (head)
  • AIM; AOL Instant Messenger.

    • External links

    * *

    Anagrams

    *