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REFERENCE

target

n. · v.
US //ˈtɑɹɡət// UK //tˈɑːɡɪt// tar·get
  1. 1 physical mark (n.)
    A2 Elementary Sport

    an object that you try to hit when you are shooting or throwing something.

    a physical mark or object, such as a butt or disk, used as a point of aim for projectiles or firearms.

    Example

    The archer pulled back the string and aimed his arrow at the center of the target.

    Example

    The recruits spent the afternoon on the firing range, attempting to hit moving targets from a distance of two hundred metres.
  2. 2 a goal (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a result or amount that you are trying to achieve.

    a desired goal, objective, or level of performance that an individual or organisation intends to reach.

    Example

    The sales team reached their monthly target two days before the deadline.

    Example

    The government has set an ambitious target to reduce carbon emissions by fifty percent within the next decade.
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  1. 3 person being attacked (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a person or thing that is being attacked or criticized.

    a person, entity, or location that is the object of criticism, ridicule, or physical attack.

    Example

    The politician became a target for jokes after his embarrassing mistake.

    Example

    The CEO found himself the primary target of shareholder frustration following the announcement of the quarterly losses.
  2. 4 intended audience (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    the specific group of people that a product or message is made for.

    the specific demographic or audience toward which a marketing campaign or communication is directed.

    Example

    The target for this new video game is teenagers who enjoy sports.

    Example

    The advertising agency identified young professionals as the primary target for the luxury car campaign.
  3. 5 mathematics (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Math

    the set of possible results for a mathematical function.

    the codomain of a function; the set into which all of the outputs of the function are constrained to fall.

    Example

    In this equation, the target of the function is the set of all real numbers.

    Example

    The student struggled to distinguish between the actual range of the function and its formal target set.
    • codomain
  4. 6 to aim at (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to aim a weapon or a comment at a specific person or thing.

    to direct a weapon, remark, or action toward a specific object or individual. Transitive — always takes a direct object.

    Example

    The missiles were programmed to target the enemy's communication towers.

    Example

    The investigators decided to target the financial records of the company to find evidence of the fraud.
  5. 7 to focus on a group (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to direct an advertisement or a product toward a specific group of people.

    to tailor or direct resources, such as marketing or social programmes, toward a specific demographic.

    Example

    The new health campaign will target smokers who want to quit.

    Example

    The charity aims to target its aid toward rural communities that have been isolated by the recent floods.
  6. 8 computing (v.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    to design software so that it works on a specific type of computer or system.

    to configure or compile software code to be compatible with a specific hardware architecture or operating system.

    Example

    The developers are targeting the latest mobile operating system for their new app.

    Example

    By targeting the ARM architecture, the software can run efficiently on a wide range of modern portable devices.

Origin

From Middle French targette, targuete, diminutive of targe (“light shield”), from Old French, from Frankish targa (“buckler”), akin to Old Norse targa (“small round shield”) (whence also Old English targe, targa (“shield”)) from Proto-Germanic targǭ (“edge”), from Proto-Indo-European *derǵʰ- (“fenced lot”). Akin to Old High German zarga (“side wall, rim”) (German Zarge (“frame”)), Spanish tarjeta (“card”).

Word family

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