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Purpose vs Result - What's the difference?

purpose | result |

In obsolete terms the difference between purpose and result

is that purpose is instance; example while result is a flying back; resilience.

As nouns the difference between purpose and result

is that purpose is an object to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal while result is that which results; the conclusion or end to which any course or condition of things leads, or which is obtained by any process or operation; consequence or effect.

As verbs the difference between purpose and result

is that purpose is have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan while result is to proceed, spring or rise, as a consequence, from facts, arguments, premises, combination of circumstances, consultation, thought or endeavor.

As an interjection result is

an exclamation of joy following a favorable outcome.

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

    *

    result

    English

    Verb

    (en verb) (intransitive)
  • To proceed, spring or rise, as a consequence, from facts, arguments, premises, combination of circumstances, consultation, thought or endeavor.
  • * Tillotson
    • Pleasure and peace do naturally result from a holy and good life.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=October 23, author=Phil McNulty, work=BBC Sport
    • , title= Man Utd 1-6 Man City , passage=United's hopes of mounting a serious response suffered a blow within two minutes of the restart when Evans, who had endured a miserable afternoon, lost concentration and allowed Balotelli to steal in behind him. The defender's only reaction was to haul the Italian down, resulting in an inevitable red card.}}
  • To come out, or have an issue; to terminate; to have consequences; followed by in .
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author= Katrina G. Claw
    • , title= Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm , volume=101, issue=3, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=In plants, the ability to recognize self from nonself plays an important role in fertilization, because self-fertilization will result in less diverse offspring than fertilization with pollen from another individual.}}
  • (legal) To return to the proprietor (or heirs) after a reversion.
  • (obsolete) To leap back; to rebound.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • the huge round stone, resulting with a bound

    Synonyms

    * follow, arise

    Related terms

    * resultant

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • That which results; the conclusion or end to which any course or condition of things leads, or which is obtained by any process or operation; consequence or effect.
  • * {{quote-magazine, title=No hiding place
    • , date=2013-05-25, volume=407, issue=8837, page=74, magazine=(The Economist) citation , passage=In America alone, people spent $170 billion on “direct marketing”—junk mail of both the physical and electronic varieties—last year. Yet of those who received unsolicited adverts through the post, only 3% bought anything as a result . If the bumf arrived electronically, the take-up rate was 0.1%. And for online adverts the “conversion” into sales was a minuscule 0.01%.}}
  • The fruit, beneficial or tangible effect(s) achieved by effort.
  • *
    • , 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.}}
  • The decision or determination of a council or deliberative assembly; a resolve; a decree.
  • * (John Milton) (1608-1674)
    • Then of their session ended they bid cry / With trumpet's regal sound the great result .
  • (label) A flying back; resilience.
  • * (Francis Bacon) (1561-1626)
    • Sound is produced between the string and the air by the return or the result of the string.
  • (label) The final score in a game.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1935, author= George Goodchild
    • , title=Death on the Centre Court, chapter=3 , passage=It had been his intention to go to Wimbledon, but as he himself said: “Why be blooming well frizzled when you can hear all the results' over the wireless. And ' results are all that concern me. […]”}}
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=September 24, author=David Ornstein, title=Arsenal 3 - 0 Bolton
    • , work=BBC Sport citation , passage=The Gunners boss has been heavily criticised for his side's poor start to the Premier League season but this result helps lift the pressure.}}
  • (label) A positive or favourable outcome for someone.

    • Derived terms

    * as a result * resultful * resultless

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • (UK) An exclamation of joy following a favorable outcome.
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • * 2010 April 10, Amy Pond, in The Beast Below (series 5, episode 2), written by Steven Moffat:
    • (picking a lock) I wonder what I did...
    (the lock opens) Hey hey, result !

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words