Purposeとは意味・読み方・使い方

語源 1

From Middle English purpos, from Old French purposer (“to propose”) (with conjugation altered based on poser), from Latin prō- (“forth”) + pōnere (“place, put”), hence Latin prōpōnō, prōpōnere.

名詞

purpose (countable かつ uncountable, 複数形 purposes)

1. An objective to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal.
   • 2013 June 7, Ed Pilkington, “‘Killer robots’ should be banned in advance, UN told”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 6:

     In his submission to the UN, [Christof] Heyns points to the experience of drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles were intended initially only for surveillance, and their use for offensive purposes was prohibited, yet once strategists realised their perceived advantages as a means of carrying out targeted killings, all objections were swept out of the way.

2. A result that is desired; an intention.
3. The act of intending to do something; resolution; determination.
   • 1620, Giovanni Bocaccio, John Florio, transl., The Decameron, Containing an Hundred Pleaſant Nouels: Wittily Diſcourſed, Betweene Seuen Honourable Ladies, and Three Noble Gentlemen‎^[1], Isaac Iaggard, Nouell 8, The Eighth Day:

     […] purſued his vnneighbourly purpoſe in ſuch ſort: that hee being the ſtronger perſwader, and ſhe (belike) too credulous in beleeuing or elſe ouer-feeble in reſiſting, from priuate imparlance, they fell to action; and continued their cloſe fight a long while together, vnſeene and vvithout ſuſpition, no doubt to their equall ioy and contentment.

   • 1834, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Francesca Carrara, volume 1, page 190:

     Perhaps you have heard that there was once some purpose of marriage between the Duc de Joyeuse and myself; it is of that which I have to tell.

   • 2013, Phil McNulty, "[2]", BBC Sport, 1 September 2013:

     United began with more purpose in the early phase of the second half and Liverpool were grateful for Glen Johnson's crucial block from Young's goalbound shot.

   • 2013 July-August, Sarah Glaz, “Ode to Prime Numbers”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4:

     Some poems, echoing the purpose of early poetic treatises on scientific principles, attempt to elucidate the mathematical concepts that underlie prime numbers. Others play with primes’ cultural associations. Still others derive their structure from mathematical patterns involving primes.

4. The subject of discourse; the point at issue.
5. (obsolete) conversation
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Qveene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for VVilliam Ponsonbie, OCLC 960102938, book 4, canto 6:

     For she in pleasaunt purpose did abound,
     And greatly joyed merry tales to faine

6. The reason for which something is done, or the reason it is done in a particular way.

   The purpose of turning off the lights overnight is to save energy.

7. (obsolete) Instance; example.
   • 1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], OCLC 228727523:

     'Tis a common Thing for Captious People, and Double-Dealers, to be taken in their Own Snares ; as for the Purpose in the Matter of Power.

同意語

• (target): aim, goal, object, target; See also Thesaurus:goal
• (intention): aim, plan, intention; See also Thesaurus:intention
• (determination): determination, intention, resolution
• (subject of discourse): matter, subject, topic
• (reason for doing something): reason

下位語

• common purpose
• metapurpose

派生語

関連する語

語源 2

From Middle English purposen, from Old French purposer (“to propose”).

動詞

purpose (三人称単数 現在形 purposes, 現在分詞 purposing, 過去形および過去分詞形 purposed)

1. (transitive) To have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan.
   • 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter 1, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, OCLC 1069526323:

     I purpose to write the history of England from the accession of King James the Second down to a time which is within the memory of men still living.

2. (transitive, passive) To design for some purpose. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
3. (obsolete, intransitive) To discourse.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Qveene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for VVilliam Ponsonbie, OCLC 960102938, book 2, canto 12:

     Whom overtaking, she in merry sort
     Them gan to bord, and purpose diversly.

派生語

• purposed
• purposer
• purposive
• on purpose

同意語

• (have set as one's purpose): aim, intend, mean, plan, set out
• (designed for some purpose): intended