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Intent vs Topic - What's the difference?

intent | topic |

As nouns the difference between intent and topic

is that intent is a purpose; something that is intended while topic is subject; theme; a category or general area of interest.

As adjectives the difference between intent and topic

is that intent is firmly fixed or concentrated on something while topic is topical.

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

    topic

    English

    (wikipedia topic)

    Alternative forms

    * topick (obsolete)

    Adjective

  • (l)

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • Subject; theme; a category or general area of interest.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-03, volume=408, issue=8847, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= The machine of a new soul , passage=The yawning gap in neuroscientists’ understanding of their topic is in the intermediate scale of the brain’s anatomy. Science has a passable knowledge of how individual nerve cells, known as neurons, work. It also knows which visible lobes and ganglia of the brain do what. But how the neurons are organised in these lobes and ganglia remains obscure. Yet this is the level of organisation that does the actual thinking—and is, presumably, the seat of consciousness.}}
  • (Internet) Discussion thread.
  • (obsolete) An argument or reason.
  • * Bishop Wilkins
    • contumacious persons, who are not to be fixed by any principles, whom no topics can work upon
  • (obsolete, medicine) An external local application or remedy, such as a plaster, a blister, etc.
    • (Wiseman)

    Synonyms

    * subject

    Derived terms

    * topical * subtopic * off-topic * topic map

    External links

    * *

    Anagrams

    * * *