Intent

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: in=tent

CIDE DICTIONARY

Intent, a. [L. intentus, p. p. of intendere. See Intend, and cf. Intense.].

•  Closely directed; strictly attentive; bent; -- said of the mind, thoughts, etc.; as, a mind intent on self-improvement.  [1913 Webster]
•  Having the mind closely directed to or bent on an object; sedulous; eager in pursuit of an object; -- formerly with to, but now with on; as, intent on business or pleasure.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]

  "Be intent and solicitous to take up the meaning of the speaker."  [1913 Webster]

Intent, n. [OE. entent, entente, attention, purpose, OF. entente, F. entente understanding, meaning; a participial noun, fr. F. & OF. entendre. See Intend.].

 The act of turning the mind toward an object; hence, a design; a purpose; intention; meaning; drift; aim.  [1913 Webster]
"Be thy intents wicked or charitable."  [1913 Webster]
"The principal intent of Scripture is to deliver the laws of duties supernatural."  [1913 Webster]

To all intents and purposes, in all applications or senses; practically; really; virtually; in essence; essentially. “He was miserable to all intents and purpose.” L'Estrange.

Syn. -- Design; purpose; intention; meaning; purport; view; drift; object; end; aim; plan.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Intent, n. & adj.
--n. (usu. without article) intention; a purpose (with intent to defraud; my intent to reach the top; with evil intent).
--adj.
1 (usu. foll. by on) a resolved; bent; determined (was intent on succeeding). b attentively occupied (intent on his books).
2 (esp. of a look) earnest; eager; meaningful.

Idiom

to all intents and purposes practically; virtually.

Derivative

intently adv. intentness n.

Etymology

ME entent f. OF f. L intentus (as INTEND)

THESAURUS

Intent

abandoned, absorbed, absorbed in, acceptation, advertent, afire, agog, aim, alert, all ears, all eyes, ambition, animus, ardent, aspiration, assiduous, attending, attentive, avid, aware, bent, bent on, buried in, burning, careful, caught up in, committed, conation, concentrated, conscious, contemplating, contemplative, counsel, dead set on, decided, decided upon, decisive, dedicated, deep, desideration, desideratum, design, desire, determination, determined, determined upon, devoted, devoted to, devout, diligent, eager, earnest, effect, end, engaged, engrossed, engrossed in, enthusiastic, faithful, fervent, fervid, fiery, finical, finicking, finicky, firm, fixed, fixed purpose, fixed upon, flaming, function, goal, hearty, heated, heedful, hell-bent on, hot, hot-blooded, idea, immersed, immersed in, impassioned, import, in earnest, in effect, inclination, intending, intendment, intense, intent on, intent upon, intention, intentive, involved, keen, lost in, loyal, meaning, meditating, meditative, meticulous, mind, mindful, monomaniacal, monopolized, more or less, motive, nice, niggling, nisus, object, objective, observant, observing, obsessed, occupied, on fire, on the ball, on the job, open-eared, open-eyed, openmouthed, passionate, perfervid, plan, point, practically, preoccupied, project, proposal, prospectus, purport, purpose, rapt, red-hot, regardful, resolute, resolution, resolve, resolved, resolved upon, riveted, sake, sense, serious, set, set on, settled, settled upon, significance, significancy, signification, sincere, single-minded, sot on, spirited, steadfast, steady, striving, studious, study, studying, submerged in, swept up, taken up with, target, tendency, totally absorbed, understanding, vehement, view, virtually, volition, warm, watchful, watching, white-hot, will, wrapped, wrapped in, wrapped up, wrapped up in, zealous

ROGET THESAURUS

Intent

Intention

N intent, intention, intentionality, purpose, quo animo, project, undertaking, predetermination, design, ambition, contemplation, mind, animus, view, purview, proposal, study, look out, final cause, raison d'etre, cui bono, object, aim, end, the be all and the end all, drift, tendency, destination, mark, point, butt, goal, target, bull's-eye, quintain, prey, quarry, game, decision, determination, resolve, fixed set purpose, settled purpose, ultimatum, resolution, wish, arriere pensee, motive, teleology, intended, intentional, advised, express, determinate, prepense, bound for, intending, minded, bent upon, at stake, on the anvil, on the tapis, in view, in prospect, in the breast of, in petto, teleological, intentionally, advisedly, wittingly, knowingly, designedly, purposely, on purpose, by design, studiously, pointedly, with intent, deliberately, with one's eyes open, in cold blood, for, with a view, with an eye to, in order to, in order that, to the end that, with the intent that, for the purpose of, with the view of, in contemplation of, on account of, in pursuance of, pursuant to, quo animo, to all intents and purposes, The road to hell is paved with good intentions, sublimi feriam sidera vertice.

Activity

N activity, briskness, liveliness, animation, life, vivacity, spirit, dash, energy, snap, vim, nimbleness, agility, smartness, quickness, velocity, alacrity, promptitude, despatch, dispatch, expedition, haste, punctuality, eagerness, zeal, ardor, perfervidum aingenium, empressement, earnestness, intentness, abandon, vigor, devotion, exertion, industry, assiduity, assiduousness, sedulity, laboriousness, drudgery, painstaking, diligence, perseverance, indefatigation, habits of business, vigilance, wakefulness, sleeplessness, restlessness, insomnia, pervigilium, insomnium, racketing, movement, bustle, stir, fuss, ado, bother, pottering, fidget, fidgetiness, flurry, officiousness, dabbling, meddling, interference, interposition, intermeddling, tampering with, intrigue, press of business, no sinecure, plenty to do, many irons in the fire, great doings, busy hum of men, battle of life, thick of the action, housewife, busy bee, new brooms, sharp fellow, sharp blade, devotee, enthusiast, zealot, meddler, intermeddler, intriguer, busybody, pickthank, hummer, hustler, live man, rustler, active, brisk, brisk as a lark, brisk as a bee, lively, animated, vivacious, alive, alive and kicking, frisky, spirited, stirring, nimble, nimble as a squirrel, agile, light-footed, nimble-footed, featly, tripping, quick, prompt, yare, instant, ready, alert, spry, sharp, smart, fast, quick as a lamplighter, expeditious, awake, broad awake, go-ahead, live wide-awake, forward, eager, strenuous, zealous, enterprising, in earnest, resolute, industrious, assiduous, diligent, sedulous, notable, painstaking, intent, indefatigable, unwearied, unsleeping, never tired, plodding, hard-working, businesslike, workaday, bustling, restless, restless as a hyena, fussy, fidgety, pottering, busy, busy as hen with one chicken, working, at work, on duty, in harness, up in arms, on one's legs, at call, up and doing, up and stirring, busy, occupied, hard at work, hard at it, up to one's ears in, full of business, busy as a bee, busy as a one-armed paperhanger, meddling, meddlesome, pushing, officious, overofficious, intrigant, astir, stirring, agoing, afoot, on foot, in full swing, eventful, on the alert, actively, with life and spirit, with might and main &c, with haste, with wings, full tilt, in mediis rebus, Int, be alive, look alive, look sharp!, move on, push on!, keep moving!, go ahead!, stir your stumps!, age quod agis!, jaldi!, karo!, step lively!, carpe diem, seize the day, nulla dies sine linea, nec mora nec requies, the plot thickens, No sooner said than done, veni vidi vici, catch a weasel asleep, abends wird der Faule fleissig, dictum ac factum, schwere Arbeit in der Jugend ist sanfte Ruhe im Al, hard work in youth means soft rest in age, the busy hum of men.