intent

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ɪnˈtɛnt/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ɪnˈtɛnt/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(in tent′)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
in•tent1 /ɪnˈtɛnt/USA pronunciation   n. 
  1. something intended;
    intention:[countable* usually singular]The original intent was to raise funds.
  2. the act or fact of intending, as to do something:[uncountable]The burglar entered the house with criminal intent.
  3. [uncountable] meaning;
    significance;
    basic idea.
Idioms
  1. Idioms, Philosophy to or for all intents and purposes, for all practical purposes;
    practically speaking:His adoptive father was for all intents and purposes his real father.


in•tent2 /ɪnˈtɛnt/USA pronunciation   adj. 
  1. firmly fixed or directed:gave us an intent stare.
  2. having the attention sharply fixed on something:[be + ~]I was intent on my work and didn't hear you.
  3. determined or resolved:[be + ~]was intent on revenge.
in•tent•ly, adv. 
in•tent•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
in•tent1  (in tent′),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. something that is intended;
    purpose;
    design;
    intention:The original intent of the committee was to raise funds.
  2. the act or fact of intending, as to do something:criminal intent.
  3. Lawthe state of a person's mind that directs his or her actions toward a specific object.
  4. meaning or significance.
  5. Idioms to or for all intents and purposes, for all practical purposes;
    practically speaking;
    virtually:The book is, to all intents and purposes, a duplication of earlier efforts.
  • Late Latin, as above
  • Old French
  • Late Latin intentus an aim, purpose, Latin: a stretching out (inten(dere) to intend + -tus suffix of verb, verbal action); replacing Middle English entent(e)
  • Middle English 1175–1225
    1. See intention. 2. aim, plan, plot.
in•tent2  (in tent′),USA pronunciation adj. 
  1. firmly or steadfastly fixed or directed, as the eyes or mind:an intent gaze.
  2. having the attention sharply focused or fixed on something:intent on one's job.
  3. determined or resolved;
    having the mind or will fixed on some goal:intent on revenge.
  4. earnest;
    intense:an intent person.
  • Latin intentus taut, intent, past participle of intendere to intend; compare intense
  • 1600–10
in•tent′ly, adv. 
in•tent′ness, n. 
    1. 2. concentrated. 3. resolute, set.
    3. irresolute.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
intent /ɪnˈtɛnt/ n
  1. something that is intended; aim; purpose; design
  2. the act of intending
  3. the will or purpose with which one does an act
  4. implicit meaning; connotation
  5. to all intents and purposes ⇒ for all practical purposes; virtually
 adj
  1. firmly fixed; determined; concentrated: an intent look
  2. (postpositive; usually followed by on or upon) having the fixed intention (of); directing one's mind or energy (to): intent on committing a crime
Etymology: 13th Century (in the sense: intention): from Late Latin intentus aim, intent, from Latin: a stretching out; see intendinˈtently adv inˈtentness n
'intent' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
assault and battery - breaking and entering - Burgess - counterfeit - courtship - flag of truce - fraudulent - hellbent - letter of intent - lie - make-up - malice - malice aforethought - manifesto - modify - moneymaker - occupancy - out - overt - personate - poison - pore - prevaricate - supposititious - tongue - unlawful assembly - white - wilful - accident - acid - aim - allow - ambiguous - appel - attack - attent - automatic writing - bona fide - burglary - business - cadge - chance - chase - clean - close - collude - criminal assault - de dolo malo - dog - dolus
Collocations: is intent upon [finishing, discovering, improving], is [somewhat, completely] intent upon, intent on [finishing, achieving, reaching, having], more...

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