tar|get

tar|get «TAHR giht», noun, verb.

–n.

1. a) a mark for shooting at, especially a design of a circle or concentric circles to be shot at in practice or competition. b) any object shot at or thrown at.

2. Figurative. an object of abuse, scorn, or criticism: »

His crazy ideas made him the target of jokes by everyone.

SYNONYM(S): butt.

3. Figurative. any aim one tries to achieve; goal; objective: »

The lower farm production targets in the new plan appeared to be more realistic (Wall Street Journal).

4. a small shield or buckler, especially a round medieval shield fastened to the arm.

5. Physics. a) a plate, often of platinum or tungsten, opposite the cathode in an X-ray tube, upon which the cathode rays impinge and produce X rays. b) any substance subjected to bombardment by atomic particles.

6. a plate in a television camera tube that receives the image from the screen plate in the form of electrons, the image being picked up for transmission by a scanning beam.

7. Surveying. a) the movable sight on a leveling staff; vane. b) any marker for leveling a sight on.

8. a disk to show whether a railway switch is open or closed.

9. Obsolete. a cymbal.

–v.t.

1. to make or put up as a target: »

In a statement released with the figures, [he] stated the company has targeted a profit for the year (Wall Street Journal).

2. to guide to a target.

╂[Middle English targat light shield < Middle French targuete, variant of targete (diminutive) < Old French targe; see etym. under targe (Cf. ↑targe)]

–tar´get|less, adjective.