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Purpose vs Hankering - What's the difference?

purpose | hankering | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between purpose and hankering

is that purpose is an object to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal while hankering is a strong, restless desire, longing, or mental inclination.

As verbs the difference between purpose and hankering

is that purpose is have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan while hankering is present participle of lang=en.

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

    *

    hankering

    English

    Verb

    (head)
  • * 2008 May 23, James Graff, " Lost: Labour's Love for Brown," Time :
    • [T]here is a clear sense that Britain is hankering for a change at the top.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (often, followed by for or after) A strong, restless desire, longing, or mental inclination.
  • * 1840 , , The Knight of Malta :
    • I found that he had dipped a little in chimerical studies and had a hankering after astrology and alchymy.
  • * 1849 , , Shirley , ch. 1:
    • Mike says he even likes to talk to him and run after him, but he has a hankering that Moore should be made an example of.
  • * 1861 , , Framley Parsonage , ch. 4:
    • One may say that hankering after naughty things is the very essence of the evil into which we have been precipitated by Adam's fall.
  • * 1904 , , Dialstone Lane . ch. 2:
    • "Some people are fond of a stay-at-home life, but I always had a hankering after adventures."
  • * 2010 Aug. 12, Michael D. Lemonick, " Study: Lucy's Relatives Used Tools to Butcher Meat," Time :
    • In other words, some species of human ancestor . . . not only had a hankering for meat, which scientists had not expected, but used tools to get it.

    Synonyms

    * craving

    Anagrams

    *