Skip to content

goal

noun

  1. element of a sport field, rink, etc.
  2. method of scoring in many sports
  3. desired result or outcome
  4. goal scored in ice hockey
L4097 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ɡəʊl/ / [ɡɒʊɫ] / /ɡɒl/

noun

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”).

  1. 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. To do with sports

    The racers are approaching the goal.

    fans behind the goal

  3. To do with sports

    miss a goal

    concede a goal

  4. To do with sports

    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.

  5. To do with grammar
  6. To do with grammar

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”).

  1. To score a goal.