target

tar|get¹ W2S3 [ˈta:gıt US ˈta:r-] n

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1¦(aim)¦

2¦(object of attack)¦

3¦(object of an action)¦

4¦(shooting)¦

5 target audience/group/area etc

6 target language

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[Date: 1200-1300; : Old French; Origin: targette, from targe 'small shield']

1.) ¦(AIM)¦

something that you are trying to achieve, such as a total, an amount, or a time

= ↑goal

sales/attainment/growth etc targets

▪ demanding financial targets

target of

▪ the target of a one-third reduction in road accidents

target for

▪ Higher degrees in English are a target for foreign students.

▪ There is no target date for completion of the new project.

▪ The government may fail to meet (=achieve) its target of recycling 25% of domestic waste

▪ Jiang set annual growth targets of 8-9%.

on target

(=likely to achieve a target)

▪ The company says that growth of 10% is on target.

2.) ¦(OBJECT OF ATTACK)¦

an object, person, or place that is deliberately chosen to be attacked

target for/of

▪ Railway stations are prime targets (=very likely targets) for bombs.

easy/soft target

▪ Cars without security devices are an easy target for the thief.

3.) ¦(OBJECT OF AN ACTION)¦

the person or place that is most directly affected by an action, especially a bad one

target for/of

▪ The area has become a prime target for supermarket development.

▪ The country is a target of criticism for its human rights record.

4.) ¦(SHOOTING)¦

something that you practise shooting at, especially a round board with circles on it

▪ The area is used by the army for target practice .

5.) target audience/group/area etc

a limited group, area etc that a plan, idea etc is aimed at

▪ Our target audience is men aged between 18 and 35.

6.) target language

the language that you are learning or that you are translating into

target ²

target² v [T]

1.) to make something have an effect on a particular limited group or area

▪ The advertisement was designed to target a mass audience.

target sth on/at sb/sth

▪ a new benefit targeted on low-income families

▪ The programme is targeted at improving the health of women of all ages.

2.) to aim something at a target

target sth on/at sb/sth

▪ The missiles are targeted at several key military sites.

3.) to choose a particular person or place to do something to, especially to attack them or criticize them

▪ It's clear that smaller, more vulnerable banks have been targeted.

▪ He was targeted by terrorists for a second time last night.