target
part of speech
noun (a target, targets); verb (target, targets, targeted, targeting)
meaning for a pupil
1) A target is a thing you aim at and try to hit, like the circle in archery or darts. tree →
2) A goal or result you try to reach: a target of 20 books. tree →
3) A person or thing that is attacked or criticised. tree →
4) (verb) To target is to aim at or choose someone or something for an action. tree →
sense in the lessons
Used at school: reading targets, learning targets ("My target is to use capital letters"). In PE: throwing at a target. In maths: target numbers in games ("make the target number 24"). In safety: scammers target older people and children online. Phrases: "on target", "hit the target", "miss the target".
examples
- She hit the middle of the target. tree →
- My target is to read 20 books this year. tree →
- Throw the beanbag at the target. tree →
- We are on target to finish by lunch. tree →
- Use the four numbers to make the target number. tree →
- Scammers target people who are online a lot. tree →
- The advert targets children. tree →
- The shooters were thronging round the target, and Rudy was soon amongst them. tree →
note
Pronounced "TAR-git". Verb forms: targeted, targeting (one t in standard spelling). Countable noun.
In the corpora
- "Surgical strike" means a bombing that is claimed to hit only its target, though it often hits more.
- "Soft target" means unprotected people or places, often ordinary civilians (people who are not soldiers).
- "Servicing the target" is US military jargon for bombing or killing the target.
- Lonely children are sometimes targeted online by adults pretending to be friends.
- Being the target of rumours can make a child lonely, anxious and afraid to go to school.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «target» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.