tar·get

noun

OPAL WOPAL S

/ˈtɑːɡɪt/

/ˈtɑːrɡɪt/

a result that you try to achieve目标；指标
- to meet/hit a target完成目标
- The firm is on track to achieve its growth target for the year.公司有望实现本年度增长目标。
- The university will reach its target of 5 000 students next September.这所大学将于下个九月达到在校学生 5 000 人的目标。
- The department has missed its sales target for the third month running.该部门已连续三个月没有达到销售目标。
- Set yourself targets that you can reasonably hope to achieve.给自己制订有望达到的指标。
- on target The new sports complex is on target to open in June.新建的体育中心将在六月份如期开放。
- off target These figures are way off target.这些数字远未达标。
- a target date of April 20222022 年 4 月的预定日期
- a target audience/market (= the particular audience, area etc. that a product, programme, etc. is aimed at)目标观众／市场
- The film's target demographic is women aged 18–49 years.这部电影的目标观众是 18 至 49 岁的妇女。
- We're using social media to communicate with our target customers.我们使用社交媒体与目标客户进行沟通。
Synonyms target
targetobjective ▪ goal ▪ object ▪ endThese are all words for something that you are trying to achieve.
target a result that you try to achieve:
Set yourself targets that you can reasonably hope to achieve.给自己制订有望达到的指标。
attainment targets in schools学校的成绩目标
objective (rather formal) something that you are trying to achieve:
What is the main objective of this project?这个项目的主要目标是什么？
goal something that you hope to achieve:
He continued to pursue his goal of becoming an actor.他继续追求他成为演员的目标。
target, objective or goal?A target is usually officially recorded in some way, for example by an employer or by a government committee. It is often specific, and in the form of figures, such as number of sales or exam passes, or a date. People often set their own objectives: these are things that they wish to achieve, often as part of a project or a talk they are giving. Goals are often long-term, and relate to people’s life and career plans or the long-term plans of a company or organization.
object the purpose of something; something that you plan to achieve:
The object is to educate people about road safety.目的是教育人们注意交通安全。
end something that you plan to achieve:
He joined the society for political ends.他为了政治目的加入了这个协会。
That’s only OK if you believe that the end justifies the means (= bad methods of doing something are acceptable if the final result is good).除非你认为只要目的正确可以不择手段，不然那是不可以接受的。
End is usually used in the plural or in particular fixed expressions.
Patterns
- to work towards a(n) target/objective/goal
- a(n) ambitious/major/long-term/short-term/future target/objective/goal
- economic/financial/business targets/objectives/goals
- to set/agree on/identify/reach/meet/exceed a(n) target/objective/goal
- to achieve a(n) target/objective/goal/end
Collocations Business
BusinessRunning a business
- buy/acquire/own/sell a company/firm/franchise
- set up/establish/start/start up/launch a business/company
- run/operate a business/company/franchise
- head/run a firm/department/team
- make/secure/win/block a deal
- expand/grow/build the business
- boost/increase investment/spending/sales/turnover/earnings/exports/trade
- increase/expand production/output/sales
- boost/maximize production/productivity/efficiency/income/revenue/profit/profitability
- achieve/maintain/sustain growth/profitability
- cut/reduce/bring down/lower/slash costs/prices
- announce/impose/make cuts/cutbacks
Sales and marketing
- break into/enter/capture/dominate the market
- gain/grab/take/win/boost/lose market share
- find/build/create a market for something
- start/launch an advertising/a marketing campaign
- develop/launch/promote a product/website
- create/generate demand for your product
- attract/get/retain/help customers/clients
- drive/generate/boost/increase demand/sales
- beat/keep ahead of/out-think/outperform the competition
- meet/reach/exceed/miss sales targets
Finance
- draw up/set/present/agree/approve a budget
- keep to/balance/cut/reduce/slash the budget
- be/come in below/under/over/within budget
- generate income/revenue/profit/funds/business
- fund/finance a campaign/a venture/an expansion/spending/a deficit
- provide/raise/allocate capital/funds
- attract/encourage investment/investors
- recover/recoup costs/losses/an investment
- get/obtain/offer somebody/grant somebody credit/a loan
- apply for/raise/secure/arrange/provide finance
Failure
- lose business/trade/customers/sales/revenue
- accumulate/accrue/incur/run up debts
- suffer/sustain enormous/heavy/serious losses
- face cuts/a deficit/redundancy/bankruptcy
- file for/ (North American English) enter/avoid/escape bankruptcy
- (British English) go into administration/liquidation
- liquidate/wind up a company
- survive/weather a recession/downturn
- propose/seek/block/oppose a merger
- launch/make/accept/defeat a takeover bid
Extra Examples
- Hospital performance targets will not be met.医院的绩效目标将无法实现。
- Many pay agreements reached were over the original target of 4%.已达成的许多工资协议超过了原定的 4% 的目标。
- Pupils should be given a target to aim for.应该给小学生制订一个目标。
- Sales so far this year are 20% above target.到目前为止今年的销售额已经超出目标 20%。
- She has always set herself very high targets.她总是给自己设定非常高的目标。
- The CEO has set new targets for growth.首席执行官已确定了新的增长目标。
- The company pays bonuses to workers who exceed production targets.公司给超额完成生产指标的工人发奖金。
- We are well within our target for trains arriving on time.火车准点率符合我们设定的目标。
- We are working towards a target of twenty cars a week.我们正在向每星期20 辆汽车的目标努力。
- What's the target market for this product?这个产品的目标市场是什么？
Topics Successa2, Working lifea2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- achievable
- attainable
- low
- …
verb + target
- set
- aim for
- achieve
- …
target + noun
- audience
- demographic
- group
- …
preposition
- above (a/the) target
- off target
- on target
- …
an object, a person or a place that people aim at when attacking（攻击的）目标，对象
- They attacked military and civilian targets.他们袭击了军事和民用目标。
- target for somebody/something Doors and windows are an easy target for burglars.门窗被窃贼作为入室的目标容易得手。
- The children became the target for their father’s aggressive outbursts.孩子们成了父亲攻击性行为的目标。
- It's a prime target (= an obvious target) for terrorist attacks.这是恐怖分子攻击的首要目标。
- target of something (figurative) He's become the target of a lot of criticism recently.他最近成了众矢之的。
Extra Examples
- The bomb reached its intended target ten seconds later.10 秒钟后炸弹命中预定目标。
- The damaged ship presented a tempting target.这艘损坏的船成了一个诱人的目标。
- The flare overshot its target and set fire to a hotel.照明弹越过目标，把一家旅馆烧着了。
- The missile veered way off target and landed in the sea.导弹严重偏离目标，落到了海里。
- The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
- The stationary trucks were sitting targets for the enemy planes.静止的卡车是敌机的活靶子。
- The company could become a takeover target.该公司可能成为收购对象。
- The real target of his satire is religion.他讽刺的真正对象是宗教。
- The President is a favorite target of comedians.总统是喜剧演员最喜欢的目标。
- Politically speaking, his jibes were right on target.从政治角度说，他的嘲讽正中要害。
Topics War and conflictb1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- favourite/favorite
- frequent
- important
- …
verb + target
- choose
- identify
- pick
- …
target + noun
- site
preposition
- off target
- on target
- target for
- …
enlarge image
an object that people practise shooting at, especially a round board with circles on it靶；靶子
- to aim at a target瞄准靶子
- to hit/miss the target中靶；脱靶
- target practice射击练习
Extra Examples
- The archers were setting up their targets.射箭运动员正在竖靶子。
- The boys used an old tree stump as a target.那些男孩儿用一个老树墩当靶子。
- The shot went wide of the target.那一枪打飞了。
- Patton was just off target with a header.巴顿的头球没进球门。
- (figurative) It should be possible to deliver the drug direct to the target site.将药品直接送到目标位置应该是可能的。
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
verb + target
- put up
- set up
- aim at
- …
target + noun
- area
- range
- practice
- …
preposition
- off target
- on target
- wide of the target
- …

Word Originlate Middle English (originally referring to a small round shield): diminutive of targe Old English, of Germanic origin. The noun came to denote various round objects. The verb dates from the early 17th cent.

tar·get

verb

OPAL WOPAL S

/ˈtɑːɡɪt/

/ˈtɑːrɡɪt/

[often passive]

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they target	/ˈtɑːɡɪt/ /ˈtɑːrɡɪt/
he / she / it targets	/ˈtɑːɡɪts/ /ˈtɑːrɡɪts/
past simple targeted	/ˈtɑːɡɪtɪd/ /ˈtɑːrɡɪtɪd/
past participle targeted	/ˈtɑːɡɪtɪd/ /ˈtɑːrɡɪtɪd/
-ing form targeting	/ˈtɑːɡɪtɪŋ/ /ˈtɑːrɡɪtɪŋ/

to aim an attack or a criticism at somebody/something把…作为攻击目标；把…作为批评的对象
- target somebody/something He accused the group of deliberately targeting civilians.他指控该组织蓄意以平民为攻击目标。
- The company has been targeted by animal rights groups for its use of dogs in drugs trials.这家公司因用狗做药物试验而成为动物保护团体批评的对象。
- target something at somebody/something The criticism was targeted chiefly at the managing director.批评的主要目标是总经理。
- The missiles were mainly targeted at the United States.导弹主要瞄准的是美国。
Extra Examples
- The authority was accused of unfairly targeting minority groups.当局被指不公平地以少数族群为目标。
- Police are actively targeting known offenders.警方现正积极把已知的罪犯作为调查目标。
- Children are deliberately targeted.有意选定儿童作为目标。
Topics War and conflictb2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- deliberately
- intentionally
- particularly
- …
preposition
- at
- for
- on
- …
to try to have an effect on a particular group of people or particular thing面向，把…对准（某群体或某事物）
- target somebody/something Film-makers are increasingly targeting international markets.电影制片人越来越多地瞄准国际市场。
- target something at/on somebody The campaign is specifically targeted at children.这个宣传计划是专门针对儿童的。
- target something for something This hospital has been targeted for additional funding.针对该医院增加了拨款。
Extra Examples
- a new magazine that targets single men一本针对单身男性的新杂志
- an exercise that directly targets the back muscles一项直接针对背部肌肉的锻炼
- a carefully targeted marketing campaign目标明确的营销活动
- The products are targeted at young people.这些产品以年轻人为对象。
- The booklet is targeted at people approaching retirement.这本小册子的读者对象是临近退休的人。
- Tax cuts should be targeted on the poor.减税应该针对贫困人群。
- We sought to target help on those who most needed it.我们力求为最需要帮助的人提供帮助。
- We target our services towards specific groups of people.我们的服务针对特定人群。
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- deliberately
- intentionally
- particularly
- …
preposition
- at
- for
- on
- …