Meaning of target In English

• 0 an object shot at during shooting practice, often a circle with a pattern of rings, or any object or place at which bullets, bombs, etc. are aimed:

  • I had four shots but I didn't even hit the target.

  • Any major airport or station is potentially a terrorist target.

• 1 a person or a particular group of people that something is directed at, or that something is intended for:

  • The target audience for the TV series is young people aged 13 to 18.

  • Recently she has been the target of a series of obscene phone calls.

• 2 a level or situation that you intend to achieve:

  • The government's target of 3.5 percent annual growth seems easily attainable.

• 3 to direct advertising, criticism, or a product at someone:

  • The advert for the energy drink is targeted specifically at young people.

• 4 to aim an attack, or a bullet, bomb, etc., at a particular object, place, or person:

  • It is hoped that civilians will not be targeted during the war.

• 5 an object aimed and fired at during shooting practice, often a circle with a pattern of rings, or any object or place at which arrows, bullets, bombs, and other missiles are aimed:

  • I missed the target.

  • The plane passed over the target.

  • The president was the main target of the senator’s speech.

• 6 a result or situation that you intend to achieve:

  • We met our sales target for the year.

  • Your calculations were on target (= accurate).

• 7 to direct an action, advertising, or a product at a particular person or group:

  • The paper is targeted at young people.

• 8 to direct an attack or criticism against someone or something:

  • The candidate targeted his opponent's comments on the policy.

• 9 a result, level, or situation that an organization or group wants or plans to achieve:

  • The company gave employees the details of performance targets for bonuses.

  • economic/financial targets

  • emissions/production/sales targets

  • earnings/inflation/budget targets

  • hit/meet/reach a target The French economy is on track to meet its growth targets.

  • lower/raise/reduce a target

  • exceed/miss/set a target The company has set a target of 10 million wholesale broadband connections by 2014.

  • a target date/level/price They plan to finish the manufacturing process by the new target date of October 31st.

• 10 a person, place, etc. that an action is directed at or intended for:

  • a/the target for sb/sth The abundance of resources makes these areas aprime target for development.

  • Savers have replaced borrowers as the priority target for banks and building societies.

  • a/the target of sth Their chief executive officer is the target of an investigation into fraud.

• 11 a company that another company wants to buy:

  • an acquisition/bid/buyout target Their plan is to be a buyer rather than a buyout target.

  • The City has tipped the group as a takeover target.

• 12 the price at which someone wants to buy or sell something:

  • Prices have remained below the $21 target because demand growth has been slow.

  • The investment house has a 1,125p target price on the shares.

• 13 someone or something that is easy to attack or criticize, often because they cannot defend themselves:

  • Advertisers view themselves as an easy target for regulators.

  • Big oil companies make easy targets for politicians anxious to take the heat off their own taxation policies.

• 14 if you are on target with a project, etc., you are likely to achieve what you planned at the time you intended:

  • The company's ambitious growth plans are on target.

  • on target to do sth We are on target to meet our sales goals for the coming year.

• 15 to direct something, especially advertising or a product, at a particular group of people or a particular area:

  • aggressively/carefully/specifically target sb/sth The marketing campaign is specifically targeting a different type of customer.

  • target sth at sb/sth We need government restrictions on ads targeted at children.

  • target sth to sb/sth They plan to target the tax cut to the middle classes.

• 16 to choose someone or something for a particular type of treatment:

  • target sb/sth for sth They have targeted the failing retailing group for takeover.

  • target sb/sth as sth Certain areas of manufacturing have been targeted as priorities.