goal

Etymology

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”).

noun

1. A result that one is attempting to achieve.
   My lifelong goal is to get into a Hollywood movie.
   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. 2013-11-02, “A shrinking slice”, in The Economist, volume 409, number 8860
2. (sports) In many sports, an area into which the players attempt to put an object.
   fans behind the goal
   play in goal
3. (sports) The act of placing the object into the goal.
   miss a goal
   concede a goal
   let in a goal
4. 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. April 15, 2011, Saj Chowdhury, “Norwich 2-1 Nott'm Forest”, in BBC Sport
5. (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.

verb

1. (Gaelic football, Australian rules football) To score a goal.