What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Purpose vs Course - What's the difference?

purpose | course |

As verbs the difference between purpose and course

is that purpose is have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan while course is .

As a noun purpose

is an object to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal.

purpose

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • An object to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author= Ed Pilkington
  • , volume=188, issue=26, page=6, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= ‘Killer robots’ should be banned in advance, UN told , passage=In his submission to the UN, [Christof] Heyns points to the experience of drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles were intended initially only for surveillance, and their use for offensive purposes was prohibited, yet once strategists realised their perceived advantages as a means of carrying out targeted killings, all objections were swept out of the way.}}
  • A result that is desired; an intention.
  • The act of intending to do something; resolution; determination.
  • * 2013 , Phil McNulty, "[http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23830980]", BBC Sport , 1 September 2013:
  • United began with more purpose in the early phase of the second half and Liverpool were grateful for Glen Johnson's crucial block from Young's goalbound shot.
  • * {{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.}}
  • The subject of discourse; the point at issue.
  • (Spenser)
  • The reason for which something is done, or the reason it is done in a particular way.
  • The purpose of turning off the lights overnight is to save energy.
  • (obsolete) Instance; example.
  • (rfquotek, L'Estrange)
    Synonyms
    * (target ): aim, goal, object, target * (intention ): aim, plan, intention * (determination ): determination, intention, resolution * (subject of discourse ): matter, subject, topic * (reason for doing something ): reason * See also
    Derived terms
    (terms derived from purpose) * all-purpose * common purpose * cross-purpose * fit for purpose * for all intents and purposes * game with a purpose * general-purpose * infinitive of purpose * multi-purpose * metapurpose * purpose-built * purposeful * purposeless * purpose-like * purpose loan * purposely * purpose statement * on purpose

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl)

    Verb

    (purpos)
  • Have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan.
  • * Macaulay
  • I purpose to write the history of England from the accession of King James the Second down to a time which is within the memory of men still living.
  • (passive ) Designed for some purpose.
  • (obsolete) To have a purpose or intention; to discourse.
  • (Spenser)
    Derived terms
    * purposed * purposer * purposive * on purpose
    Synonyms
    * (have set as one's purpose ): aim, intend, mean, plan, set out * (designed for some purpose ): intended

    References

    * * *

    Statistics

    *

    course

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A sequence of events.
  • # A normal or customary sequence.
  • #* Shakespeare
  • The course of true love never did run smooth.
  • #* Milton
  • Day and night, / Seedtime and harvest, heat and hoary frost, / Shall hold their course .
  • # A programme, a chosen manner of proceeding.
  • # Any ordered process or sequence or steps.
  • # A learning program, as in a school.
  • #* 1661 , , The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond
  • During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant
  • #* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-20, volume=408, issue=8845, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= The attack of the MOOCs , passage=Since the launch early last year of […] two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses , the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations. University brands built in some cases over centuries have been forced to contemplate the possibility that information technology will rapidly make their existing business model obsolete.}}
  • # A treatment plan.
  • # A stage of a meal.
  • # The succession of one to another in office or duty; order; turn.
  • #* Bible, 2 Chron. viii. 14
  • He appointed the courses of the priests.
  • A path that something or someone moves along.
  • # The itinerary of a race.
  • # A racecourse.
  • # The path taken by a flow of water; a watercourse.
  • # (sports) The trajectory of a ball, frisbee etc.
  • # (golf) A golf course.
  • # (nautical) The direction of movement of a vessel at any given moment.
  • # (navigation) The intended passage of voyage, such as a boat, ship, airplane, spaceship, etc.
  • (nautical) The lowest square sail in a fully rigged mast, often named according to the mast.
  • .
  • A row or file of objects.
  • # (masonry) A row of bricks or blocks.
  • # (roofing) A row of material that forms the roofing, waterproofing or flashing system.
  • # (textiles) In weft knitting, a single row of loops connecting the loops of the preceding and following rows.
  • (music) A string on a lute.
  • (music) A pair of strings played together in some musical instruments, like the vihuela.
  • Derived terms

    * bird course * courseless * courselike * crash course * due course * let nature take its course * massive open online course (MOOC) * of course * off course * on course

    Verb

  • To run or flow (especially of liquids and more particularly blood).
  • The oil coursed through the engine.
    Blood pumped around the human body courses throughout all its veins and arteries.
  • * 2013 , Martina Hyde, Is the pope Catholic?'' (in ''The Guardian , 20 September 2013)[http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/20/is-pope-catholic-atheists-gay-people-abortion]
  • He is a South American, so perhaps revolutionary spirit courses through Francis's veins. But what, pray, does the Catholic church want with doubt?
  • To run through or over.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • The bounding steed courses the dusty plain.
  • To pursue by tracking or estimating the course taken by one's prey; to follow or chase after.
  • * Shakespeare
  • We coursed him at the heels.
  • To cause to chase after or pursue game.
  • to course greyhounds after deer

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (colloquial)
  • Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * * 1000 English basic words ----