goal
    n 1: the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and
         that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to
         achieve it; "the ends justify the means" [syn: goal,
         end]
    2: the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey); "a
       crowd assembled at the finish"; "he was nearly exhausted as
       their destination came into view" [syn: finish,
       destination, goal]
    3: game equipment consisting of the place toward which players
       of a game try to advance a ball or puck in order to score
       points
    4: a successful attempt at scoring; "the winning goal came with
       less than a minute left to play"

Goal \Goal\, n. [F. gaule pole, Prov. F. waule, of German
   origin; cf. Fries. walu staff, stick, rod, Goth. walus, Icel.
   v["o]lr a round stick; prob. akin to E. wale.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. The mark set to bound a race, and to or around which the
      constestants run, or from which they start to return to it
      again; the place at which a race or a journey is to end.
      [1913 Webster]

            Part curb their fiery steeds, or shun the goal
            With rapid wheels.                    --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The final purpose or aim; the end to which a design tends,
      or which a person aims to reach or attain.
      [1913 Webster]

            Each individual seeks a several goal. --Pope.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. A base, station, or bound used in various games as the
      point or object which a team must reach in order to score
      points; in certain games, the point which the ball or puck
      must pass in order for points to be scored. In football,
      it is a line between two posts across which the ball must
      pass in order to score points; in soccer or ice hockey, it
      is a net at each end of the soccer field into which the
      soccer ball or hocjey puck must be propelled; in
      basketball, it is the basket[7] suspended from the
      backboard, through which the basketball must pass.
      [1913 Webster +PJC]

   4. (Sport) The act or instance of propelling the ball or puck
      into or through the goal[3], thus scoring points; as, to
      score a goal.
      [PJC]

   Goal keeper, (Sport) the player charged with the defense of
      the goal, such as in soccer or ice hockey.
      [1913 Webster]

goal

    In logic programming, a predicate applied to
   its arguments which the system attempts to prove by matching
   it against the clauses of the program.  A goal may fail or
   it may succeed in one or more ways.

   (1997-07-14)