TARGET

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does target mean? 

• TARGET (noun)
  The noun TARGET has 5 senses:

1. a reference point to shoot at

2. a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence

3. the location of the target that is to be hit

4. sports equipment consisting of an object set up for a marksman or archer to aim at

5. the goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable)

  Familiarity information: TARGET used as a noun is common.

• TARGET (verb)
  The verb TARGET has 1 sense:

1. intend (something) to move towards a certain goal

  Familiarity information: TARGET used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TARGET (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A reference point to shoot at

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

mark; target

Context example:

his arrow hit the mark

Hypernyms ("target" is a kind of...):

point of reference; reference; reference point (an indicator that orients you generally)

Meronyms (parts of "target"):

bull; bull's eye (the center of a target)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "target"):

clout (a target used in archery)

drogue (a funnel-shaped device towed as a target by an airplane)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

fair game; prey; quarry; target

Context example:

the target of a manhunt

Hypernyms ("target" is a kind of...):

victim (an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance)

Derivation:

target (intend (something) to move towards a certain goal)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The location of the target that is to be hit

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Synonyms:

target; target area

Hypernyms ("target" is a kind of...):

place; spot; topographic point (a point located with respect to surface features of some region)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "target"):

ground zero (the target of a projectile (as a bomb or missile))

Sense 4

Meaning:

Sports equipment consisting of an object set up for a marksman or archer to aim at

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

butt; target

Hypernyms ("target" is a kind of...):

sports equipment (equipment needed to participate in a particular sport)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "target"):

clay pigeon (target used in skeet or trapshooting)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

aim; object; objective; target

Context example:

the sole object of her trip was to see her children

Hypernyms ("target" is a kind of...):

end; goal (the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to achieve it)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "target"):

grail (the object of any prolonged endeavor)

business (an immediate objective)

point (the object of an activity)

thing (a special objective)

Derivation:

target (intend (something) to move towards a certain goal)

• TARGET (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they target    ... he / she / it targets   
Past simple: targeted    / targetted   
Past participle: targeted    / targetted   
-ing form: targeting    / targetting   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Intend (something) to move towards a certain goal

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

aim; direct; place; point; target

Context example:

direct your anger towards others, not towards yourself

Hypernyms (to "target" is one way to...):

aim; direct; take; take aim; train (point or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "target"):

address (direct a question at someone)

home in; range in; zero in (direct onto a point or target, especially by automatic navigational aids)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

target (the goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable))

target (a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence)

 Context examples 

The technique involves using fragments of DNA known as aptamers that bind to the target protein.

(Study highlights potential for ‘liquid health check’ to predict disease risk, University of Cambridge)

This gene is involved in the modulation of target gene expression.

(MIR376C Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

The results can be used for improved therapies — targets of known antidepressant medications were enriched in the genetic findings

(Forty-Four Genomic Variants Linked to Major Depression, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Activation of MR leads to increased expression of Sgk-1, which phosphorylates Nedd4-2, an ubiquitin-ligase which targets ENAC to proteasomal degradation.

(Aldosterone-Regulated Sodium Reabsorption Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

CCR3 is therefore a major target for anti-inflammatory drug development.

(Allergy Chemokine Network Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

This allele, which encodes MIR376C pre-miRNA, plays a role in either transcriptional or translational regulation of target sequences.

(MIR376C wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene may be involved in the regulation of target gene transcription.

(MIR22 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

Upon activation, ERKs translocate to the nucleus and phosphorylate nuclear targets.

(Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase, NCI Thesaurus)

That comes from my fool's talk, cried the archer; for being a man of no learning myself, my tongue turns to blades and targets, even as my hand does.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A synthetic flavonoid with vascular targeting properties.

(Mitoflaxone, NCI Thesaurus)