Intent
n.thoughtful, capableformal
What it means
The purpose someone means to carry through by an action or decision.
Reach for it when clarifying what a person was trying to achieve, apart from the outcome
Her intent was to leave the footpath safer than she found it.
Choose between these
6- everyday
a plan or meant action should sound neutral
not when Intention is often less forceful and less legal than intent.
- everyday
the reason for doing something is the broad focus
not when Purpose can be an enduring calling, while intent often concerns a particular act.
- professional
aim
a desired result gives the action direction
not when Aim stresses the target more than the actor's state of mind.
- professional
a defined, assessable result is needed
not when Objective may belong to a project without revealing personal intent.
- formal
motive
the underlying reason for action is under examination
not when Motive asks why; intent asks what the person meant to do.
- literary
design
a deliberate plan is viewed as a shaping conception
not when Design can imply calculation or a physical plan and may sound suspicious.
Said against
3- accident
- aimlessness
- inadvertence
It naturally appears in
3- clear intent
A clear intent made the short policy easier to apply consistently.
- original intent
Later amendments preserved the original intent of the agreement.
- intent to help
His intent to help was genuine, though the timing caused confusion.