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Intent vs Ambition - What's the difference?

intent | ambition | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between intent and ambition

is that intent is a purpose; something that is intended while ambition is eager or inordinate desire for some object that confers distinction, as preferment, honor, superiority, political power, or literary fame; desire to distinguish one's self from other people.

As an adjective intent

is firmly fixed or concentrated on something.

As a verb ambition is

to seek after ambitiously or eagerly; to covet.

intent

English

Alternative forms

* entent (obsolete)

Noun

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

    • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • 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.
  • Engrossed.
  • Unwavering from a course of action.

    • Related terms

    * for all intents and purposes * intend * intense * intention * intensive * intent on * intently * to all intents and purposes * with intent

    ambition

    English

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (uncountable, countable) Eager or inordinate desire for some object that confers distinction, as preferment, honor, superiority, political power, or literary fame; desire to distinguish one's self from other people.
    • My son, John, wants to be a firefighter very much. He has a lot of ambition .
  • * Burke
    • the pitiful ambition of possessing five or six thousand more acres
  • (countable) An object of an ardent desire.
    • My ambition is to own a helicopter.
  • A desire, as in (sense 1), for another person to achieve these things.
  • (uncountable) A personal quality similar to motivation, not necessarily tied to a single goal.
  • (obsolete) The act of going about to solicit or obtain an office, or any other object of desire; canvassing.
  • * Milton
    • [I] used no ambition to commend my deeds.

    Quotations

    (English Citations of "ambition")

    Related terms

    * ambience * ambient * ambit * ambitious * ambitionist

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To seek after ambitiously or eagerly; to covet.
    • Pausanias, ambitioning the sovereignty of Greece, bargains with Xerxes for his daughter in marriage. — Trumbull.

    External links

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