purpose
The reason why you do something or why something exists.
The reason for which something is done, created, or for which it exists.
To plan to do something; to mean to do it.
To have as one's intention or plan.
- Base: purpose
- Plural: purpose, purposes
- Base: purpose
- 3rd Person Singular: purposes
- Present Participle: purposing
- Past: purposed
for the purpose of
1With the aim of doing something
Used to show why something is done; for a particular reason.
- The form is used for the purpose of collecting customer feedback.
- She traveled for the purpose of studying abroad.
serve a purpose
1Be useful or functional
To be useful or help to achieve something.
- This old chair still serves a purpose in the guest room.
- His advice served a purpose during our negotiations.
to no purpose
1Without success or effect
Without getting any result; without success.
- He argued to no purpose; the decision had already been made.
- Their efforts were to no purpose in stopping the plan.
on purpose
1Intentionally, not accidentally
To do something on purpose means you do it because you want to, not by accident.
- I didn't break the vase on purpose.
- She left early on purpose so she could avoid traffic.
on purpose
2done deliberately, not by mistake
Done with intention, not by accident.
- She broke the vase on purpose.
- He left early on purpose to avoid traffic.
on purpose
3deliberately; not by accident
To do something on purpose means to do it intentionally, not by mistake or by chance.
- You broke my phone on purpose, didn’t you?
- He spilled coffee on his shirt and then joked that he did it on purpose to leave the meeting early.
- She didn’t ignore you on purpose; she just didn’t see your message.