goal

From Middle English gol (“boundary, limit”), from Old English *gāl (“obstacle, barrier, marker”), suggested by its derivatives Old English gǣlan (“to hinder, delay, impede, keep in suspense, linger, hesitate, dupe”), 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”).

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɡəʊl/, [ɡɒʊɫ]
(New Zealand, General Australian) IPA^(key): /ɡɐʉl/, [ɡɒʊɫ]
(General American) IPA^(key): /ɡoʊl/, [ɡoɫ]

Audio (US)

Rhymes: -əʊl

Noun

goal (plural goals)

A result that one is attempting to achieve. [ quotations ▼]
My lifelong goal is to get into a Hollywood movie.

She failed in her goal to become captain of the team.
(sports) In many sports, an area into which the players attempt to put an object.
fans behind the goal

play in goal
(sports) The act of placing the object into the goal.
miss a goal

concede a goal

let in a goal
A point scored in a game as a result of placing the object into the goal. [ quotations ▼]
score a goal
(linguistics, grammar) A noun or noun phrase that receives the action of a verb. The subject of a passive verb or the direct object of an active verb. Also called a patient, target, or undergoer.

Synonyms

(a result one is attempting to achieve:) ambition, object of desire, objective, purpose, aspiration