1 [C] the intention, aim or function of sth; the thing that sth is supposed to achieve:
Our campaign's main purpose is to raise money. * The purpose of the book is to provide a complete guide to the university. * A meeting was called for the purpose of appointing a new treasurer. * The experiments serve no useful purpose (= are not useful). * The building is used for religious purposes. -< CAUSE
2 (purposes) [pl.] what is needed in a particular situation:
These gifts count as income for tax purposes. * For the purposes of this study, the three groups have been combined.
3 [C,U] meaning that is important and valuable to you:
Volunteer work gives her life (a sense of) purpose.
4 [U] the ability to plan sth and work successfully to achieve it
SYNDETERMINATION:
He has enormous confidence and strength of purpose.
seealsoCROSSPURPOSES
IDIOMS
on purpose not by accident; deliberately:
He did it on purpose, knowing it would annoy her.
to little / no purpose (formal) with little/no useful effect or result:
The government had spent a lot on education but to little or no purpose.
moreatINTENTn., PRACTICALadj.
