Word Study
goal
CIDE DICTIONARY
goal, n. [F. gaule pole, Prov. F. waule, of German origin; cf. Fries. walu staff, stick, rod, Goth. walus, Icel. völr a round stick; prob. akin to E. wale.].
- The mark set to bound a race, and to or around which the constestants run, or from which they start to return to it again; the place at which a race or a journey is to end. [1913 Webster]"Part curb their fiery steeds, or shun the goal
With rapid wheels." [1913 Webster] - The final purpose or aim; the end to which a design tends, or which a person aims to reach or attain. [1913 Webster]"Each individual seeks a several goal." [1913 Webster]
- A base, station, or bound used in various games as the point or object which a team must reach in order to score points; in certain games, the point which the ball or puck must pass in order for points to be scored. In football, it is a line between two posts across which the ball must pass in order to score points; in soccer or ice hockey, it is a net at each end of the soccer field into which the soccer ball or hocjey puck must be propelled; in basketball, it is the basket{7} suspended from the backboard, through which the basketball must pass. [1913 Webster]
- The act or instance of propelling the ball or puck into or through the goal{3}, thus scoring points; as, to score a goal. [PJC]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
goal, n.
1 the object of a person's ambition or effort; a destination; an aim (fame is his goal; London was our goal).
2 a Football a pair of posts with a crossbar between which the ball has to be sent to score. b a cage or basket used similarly in other games. c a point won (scored 3 goals).
3 a point marking the end of a race.
1 the object of a person's ambition or effort; a destination; an aim (fame is his goal; London was our goal).
2 a Football a pair of posts with a crossbar between which the ball has to be sent to score. b a cage or basket used similarly in other games. c a point won (scored 3 goals).
3 a point marking the end of a race.
Idiom
goal average Football the ratio of the numbers of goals scored for and against a team in a series of matches. goal difference Football the difference of goals scored for and against. goal-kick
1 Assoc. Football a kick by the defending side after attackers send the ball over the goal-line without scoring.
2 Rugby Football an attempt to kick a goal. goal-line Football a line between each pair of goalposts, extended to form the end-boundary of a field of play (cf. touch-line). goal-minder (or -tender) US a goalkeeper at ice hockey. goal-mouth Football the space between or near the goalposts. in goal in the position of goalkeeper.
1 Assoc. Football a kick by the defending side after attackers send the ball over the goal-line without scoring.
2 Rugby Football an attempt to kick a goal. goal-line Football a line between each pair of goalposts, extended to form the end-boundary of a field of play (cf. touch-line). goal-minder (or -tender) US a goalkeeper at ice hockey. goal-mouth Football the space between or near the goalposts. in goal in the position of goalkeeper.
Derivative
goalless adj.
Etymology
16th c.: orig. unkn.: perh. identical with ME gol boundary
THESAURUS
goal
Z, aim, ambition, anchorage, apodosis, aspiration, basis, bourn, butt, by-end, by-purpose, calling, catastrophe, cause, ceasing, cessation, coda, conclusion, consideration, consummation, crack of doom, culmination, curtain, curtains, death, decease, denouement, destination, destiny, doom, duty, effect, end, end in view, end point, ending, envoi, epilogue, eschatology, expiration, fate, final cause, final solution, final twitch, final words, finale, finality, finis, finish, function, game, grand slam, ground, guiding light, guiding star, harbor, haven, hit, hole, hole in one, home run, homer, ideal, inspiration, intention, izzard, last, last breath, last gasp, last stop, last things, last trumpet, last words, latter end, lodestar, mainspring, mark, matter, motive, object, object in mind, objective, omega, payoff, period, peroration, port, prey, principle, purpose, pursuit, quarry, quietus, quintain, reason, reason for being, resolution, resting place, sake, score, slam, source, spring, stop, stoppage, stopping place, strike, swan song, target, teleology, term, terminal, terminal point, termination, terminus, touchdown, ulterior motive, ultimate aim, use, vocation, windupROGET THESAURUS
goal
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.End
N end, close, termination, desinence, conclusion, finis, finale, period, term, terminus, endpoint, last, omega, extreme, extremity, gable end, butt end, fag-end, tip, nib, point, tail, verge, tag, peroration, bonne bouche, bottom dollar, tail end, rear guard, consummation, denouement, finish, fate, doom, doomsday, crack of doom, day of Judgment, dies irae, fall of the curtain, goal, destination, limit, determination, expiration, expiry, extinction, extermination, death, end of all things, finality, eschatology, break up, commencement de la fin, last stage, turning point, coup de grace, deathblow, knock-out-blow, sockdolager, ending, final, terminal, definitive, crowning, last, ultimate, hindermost, rear, caudal, vergent, conterminate, conterminous, conterminable, ended, at an end, settled, decided, over, played out, set at rest, conclusive, penultimate, last but one, last but two, unbegun, uncommenced, fresh, finally, in fine, at the last, once for all, as high as Heaven and as deep as hell, deficit omne quod nascitur, en toute chose il faut considerer la fin, finem respice, ultimus Romanorum.Success
N success, successfulness, speed, advance, trump card, hit, stroke, score, lucky hit, fortunate hit, good hit, good stroke, direct hit, bull's eye, goal, point, touchdown, home run, homer, hole-in-one, grand slam, killing, windfall bold stroke, master stroke, ten strike, coup de maitre, checkmate, half the battle, prize, profit, continued success, good fortune, time well spent, advantage over, upper hand, whip hand, ascendancy, mastery, expugnation, conquest, victory, subdual, subjugation, triumph, proficiency, conqueror, victor, winner, master of the situation, master of the position, top of the heap, king of the hill, achiever, success, success story, succeeding, successful, prosperous, triumphant, flushed with success, crowned with success, victorious, on top, set up, in the ascendant, unbeaten (beat), well-spent, felicitous, effective, in full swing, successfully, well flying colors, in triumph, swimmingly, a merveille, beyond all hope, to some purpose, to good purpose, to one's heart's content, veni vidi vici, the day being one's own, one's star in the ascendant, omne tulit punctum, bis vincit qui se vincit in victoria, cede repugnanti cedendo victor abibis, chacun est l'artisan de sa fortune, dies faustus, l'art de vaincre est celui de mepriser la mort, omnia vincit amor, love conquers all, peace hath her victories no less renowned than war, the race by vigor not by vaunts is won, vincit qui patitur, vincit qui se vincit, The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that's the way to bet.Quiescence
N quiescence, rest, stillness, quiescence, stagnation, stagnancy, fixity, immobility, catalepsy, indisturbance, quietism, quiet, tranquility, calm, repose, peace, dead calm, anticyclone, statue-like repose, silence, not a breath of air, not a mouse stirring, sleep, pause, lull, stand still, standing still, lock, dead lock, dead stop, dead stand, full stop, fix, embargo, resting place, gite, bivouac, home, pillow, haven, goal, quiescent, still, motionless, moveless, fixed, stationary, immotile, at rest at a stand, at a standstill, at anchor, stock, still, standing still, sedentary, untraveled, stay-at-home, becalmed, stagnant, quiet, unmoved, undisturbed, unruffled, calm, restful, cataleptic, immovable, sleeping, silent, still as a statue, still as a post, still as a mouse, still as death, vegetative, vegetating, at a stand, tout court, at the halt, Int, stop!, stay!, avast!, halt!, hold hard!, whoa!, hold!, sabr karo!, requiescat in pace, Deus nobis haec otia fecit, the noonday quiet holds the hill.Arrival
N arrival, advent, landing, debarkation, disembarkation, reception, welcome, vin d'honneur, home, goal, goalpost, landing place, landing stage, bunder, resting place, destination, harbor, haven, port, airport, spaceport, terminus, halting place, halting ground, landing strip, runway, terminal, journey's end, anchorage, return, remigration, meeting, rencounter, encounter, completion, recursion, arriving, homeward bound, here, hither, Int, welcome!, hail!, all Hail!, good-day, good morrow!, any port in a storm.For further exploring for "goal" in Webster Dictionary Online