purpose
noun
ˈpɜːpəs
noun
1
the
purpose
of
something
is
what
it
is
intended
to
achieve
目的，意图
C usually singular 一般用单数
[+
of
]
The
purpose
of
this
meeting
is
to
elect
a
new
chairman.
这次会议的目的是选举一位新主席。
What
is
the
purpose
of
your
visit?
你来访的目的是什么？
the
purpose
of
doing
sth
The
purpose
of
conducting
a
business
is
to
make
money.
做生意的目的是赚钱。
for/with
the
purpose
of
doing
sth
Troops
were
sent
solely
for
the
purpose
of
assisting
refugees.
派遣军队的目的只是为了援助难民。
He
came
here
with
the
purpose
of
carrying
out
the
attack.
他到这里来的目的是为了发动攻击。
sole/primary/main
etc
purpose
The
protection
of
children
is
the
primary
purpose
of
this
legislation.
保护儿童是这项立法的基本目的。
2
purposes
the
reasons
that
explain
why
something
is
needed
or
why
it
is
considered
in
a
particular
way
〔情势等的〕需要; 用意
plural 复数
Several
of
the
items
had
religious
purposes
.
其中的几件器物是有宗教用途的。
for
medical/political/decorative
etc
purposes
It
should
be
legitimate
to
use
cannabis
for
medical
purposes.
为了治疗需要使用大麻应该是合法的。
For
tax
purposes
,
you
will
be
treated
as
a
married
couple.
报税时你们俩将被看作已婚夫妇。
The
details
are,
for
the
present
purposes
,
irrelevant.
目前情况下，这些细节是无关紧要的。
for
the
purposes
of
sth
For
the
purposes
of
this
book,
America
is
taken
to
include
the
continent
north
of
Mexico.
在这本书里，美洲是指墨西哥以北的大陆。
3
a
plan
or
aim
计划; 目的
C
Nick
had
no
particular
purpose
in
mind
when
he
started.
尼克一开始时头脑中并没有具体的目的。
sb’s
purpose
in
doing
sth
Attending
the
race
was
not
my
purpose
in
coming
to
Indianapolis.
我到印第安纳波利斯来并不是为了参加比赛。
serve
a
purpose
(achieve
a
particular
aim)
达到某一目的
It
would
serve
no
useful
purpose
to
reopen
the
investigation.
重新展开调查毫无用处。
4
on purpose
deliberately
故意（地），有意（地）
do
sth
on
purpose
You
make
it
sound
as
if
I
did
it
on
purpose!
你的话听起来好像是我有意那么做的！
5
FEELING
感情
a
feeling
of
determination
to
achieve
things
in
life
〔达到生活中目标的〕决心，毅力
U
It’s
so
important
to
have
a
sense
of
purpose
that
it
underlies
human
happiness.
生活目标很重要，有了生活目标人生才会幸福。
My
football
career
was
over
and
I
had
no
purpose
in
life
.
我的足球事业完了，我觉得生活失去了意义。
He
possessed
great
strength
of
purpose
.
他拥有坚强的意志。
6
for all practical purposes to all intents and purposes
also
又作
used
to
say
that
something
is
so
close
to
the
truth
that
it
can
be
considered
to
be
the
truth
实际上; 大体上
The
war,
to
all
intents
and
purposes,
was
over.
战争实际上已经结束了。
We
have
a
Secretary
of
State
for
Scotland
who
is
for
all
practical
purposes
a
Scottish
Prime
Minister.
我们有一位苏格兰事务大臣，实际上就是苏格兰的首相。
7
serve its purpose
if
something
has
served
its
purpose,
it
has
done
what
you
needed
it
to
do
起到应有的作用
We
delete
the
data
once
it
has
served
its
purpose.
这些数据一旦用过我们就把它删除。
8
defeat the purpose
to
fail
to
achieve
the
result
you
want
没有达到目的
Anxiety
will
cause
tension,
which
defeats
the
purpose
of
the
exercise
(=the
activity
or
plan)
.
忧虑会引起紧张情绪，一紧张就达不到目的了。
9
to no purpose
without
any
useful
results
[正式] 毫无效果
formal
She
called
after
them,
but
to
no
purpose.
她在他们身后叫他们，可是一点用也没有。
10
to the purpose
10.
useful
or
helpful
[过时] 有用的; 有益的，有帮助的
old-fashioned