Etymology From Middle English gol (“boundary, limit”), from Old English *gāl (“obstacle, barrier, marker”), from Proto-West Germanic *gailu, from Proto-Germanic *gailō (“crevice, gap”); compare the Old English's derivatives Old English gǣlan (“to hinder, delay”), and hyġegǣls (“hesitating, slow, sluggish”), hyġegǣlsa (“slow one, sluggish one”). Possibly cognate with Lithuanian gãlas (“end”), Latvian gals (“end”), Old Prussian gallan (“death”), Albanian ngalem (“to be limping, lame, paralyzed”), ngel (“to remain, linger, hesitate, get stuck”).
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A result that one is attempting to achieve.
My lifelong goal is to get into a Hollywood movie.
His goal is to become a YouTuber.
2 more examples
She failed in her goal to become captain of the team.
The goal should be to strengthen workers without hamstringing firms. Growth, rather than employment protection, is the priority. More work means a stronger labour market, which would bid up employees’ slice, as it did in America in the 1990s when unemployment was at record lows.2013 November 2, “A shrinking slice”, in The Economist, volume 409, number 8860:
› To do with sports
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Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports In many sports, an area into which the players attempt to put an object.
The racers are approaching the goal.
fans behind the goal
4 more examples
play in goal
The ball rolled slowly into the goal.
He hit the goal 20 yards away.
a left-footed shot on goal
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Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports The act of placing the object into the goal.
miss a goal
concede a goal
1 more example
let in a goal
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A point scored in a game as a result of placing the object into the goal.
score a goal
The former Forest man, who passed a late fitness test, appeared to use Guy Moussi for leverage before nodding in David Fox's free-kick at the far post - his 22nd goal of the season.2011 April 15, Saj Chowdhury, “Norwich 2-1 Nott'm Forest”, in BBC Sport:
› To do with grammar
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Grammar, Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences A noun or noun phrase that receives the action of a verb.
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Grammar, Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences The subject of a passive verb or the direct object of an active verb.
Etymology From Middle English gol (“boundary, limit”), from Old English *gāl (“obstacle, barrier, marker”), from Proto-West Germanic *gailu, from Proto-Germanic *gailō (“crevice, gap”); compare the Old English's derivatives Old English gǣlan (“to hinder, delay”), and hyġegǣls (“hesitating, slow, sluggish”), hyġegǣlsa (“slow one, sluggish one”). Possibly cognate with Lithuanian gãlas (“end”), Latvian gals (“end”), Old Prussian gallan (“death”), Albanian ngalem (“to be limping, lame, paralyzed”), ngel (“to remain, linger, hesitate, get stuck”).
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To score a goal.
Gaelic football; Australian rules football; Gaelic football; Australian rules football