goals
goals — noun
- goalssingular
- goalsesplural
1. the frame with two posts and a net that players try to hit with the ball to earn
the frame with two posts and a net that players try to hit with the ball to earn points in games like football, hockey, or basketball.
Meera kicked the ball toward the goal, but the wind pushed it sideways.
toward the goal [direction]
Zuri stood between the goal posts, ready to catch any shot that came near.
goal posts [compound noun]
Jude hit the crossbar of the goal with a powerful shot from far away.
Sora watched the ball fly past the goal and land in the net behind it.
- net
informal; focuses on the netting part of the goal structure ('He put the ball in the net').
- goal mouth
the area directly in front of the goal ('The ball sat in the goal mouth').
文法句型
the goal [of a sport]
a goal with a net
用法筆記
Frequently used in compound nouns such as 'goal area,' 'goal line,' and 'goal post.'
常見錯誤
2. a point that a player or team earns when the ball goes into the goal area during
a point that a player or team earns when the ball goes into the goal area during a game.
Kian scored the winning goal in the final minute of the match.
score the winning goal
Ishaan celebrated his first goal of the season with his teammates.
Mia's goal was disallowed because the referee spotted a foul before the shot.
Owen headed the ball into the net for the opening goal of the game.
文法句型
score a goal
concede a goal
用法筆記
Countable — you can have one goal, two goals, or many goals. Use 'score a goal' for earning a point, not 'make a goal.'
常見錯誤
3. the position of the player whose job is to stop the opposing team from scoring b
the position of the player whose job is to stop the opposing team from scoring by standing in front of the goal.
Niran has been playing in goal for the school team since last year.
play in goal [fixed phrase]
Manuela trains every morning to improve her reflexes in goal.
Mira made two amazing saves while standing in goal during the second half.
Alessia is much better in goal than her older brother ever was.
- goalkeeper
refers to the person rather than the position ('She is the best goalkeeper in the league').
- goalie
informal; short form of goalkeeper ('The goalie made a great save').
文法句型
in goal
play in goal
用法筆記
Used without an article in the fixed phrase 'in goal.' Do not say 'in the goal' for this meaning — that would refer to the physical structure instead.
常見錯誤
4. the activity of playing as the goalkeeper to protect the goal during a sports ma
the activity of playing as the goalkeeper to protect the goal during a sports match.
Meera agreed to keep goal for the team when their usual goalie fell ill.
keep goal [fixed phrase]
Kian kept goal for ninety minutes and did not let in a single shot.
Zuri has kept goal for three seasons and says she loves the responsibility.
Alessia was nervous when the coach asked her to keep goal for the championship match.
- goalkeeping
the sport-specific term for the activity ('He is taking goalkeeping lessons').
- tend the goal
less common, more formal ('She tends the goal for the national team').
文法句型
keep goal
用法筆記
Frequently used in the phrase 'keep goal.' Unlike sense 3 ('in goal'), this sense emphasizes the action of goalkeeping rather than the position itself.
常見錯誤
5. a situation in which the goal area has no goalkeeper or defenders, giving the at
a situation in which the goal area has no goalkeeper or defenders, giving the attacking player a clear chance to score.
Ishaan shot at the empty goal but the ball bounced off the post.
empty goal [collocation]
Sora could not believe the striker missed such an open goal from two metres away.
open goal [collocation]
Owen passed to his teammate instead of shooting at the empty goal himself.
Meera saw the empty goal and calmly placed the ball into the net.
- empty net
common in ice hockey ('They scored into the empty net').
- guarded goal
a goal protected by a goalkeeper.
文法句型
an empty goal
an open goal
用法筆記
Usually called an 'empty goal' or 'open goal.' The phrase 'open goal' is also used metaphorically outside sports, meaning an easy opportunity.
6. something that a person wants to achieve through effort and careful planning, su
something that a person wants to achieve through effort and careful planning, such as a personal ambition, a career target, or a learning aim.
Mira set herself a goal of reading twenty books before the summer ends.
goal of + gerund
Owen's main goal this year is to improve his Mandarin speaking skills.
Jude worked hard every day to achieve his goal of opening a small café.
Manuela reached her savings goal six months earlier than she had planned.
- aim
similar but slightly more abstract; focuses on general direction rather than a specific endpoint ('Her aim is to help people').
- objective
more formal, used in business or military contexts ('The company's main objective is to reduce costs').
- target
emphasizes measurability, often a specific number or deadline ('Our sales target is five million dollars').
- purpose
focuses on the reason behind an action rather than the endpoint ('The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the budget').
文法句型
set a goal
achieve a goal
reach a goal
goal of [something]
用法筆記
Often followed by 'of' and a gerund ('the goal of becoming…') or by 'to' and an infinitive ('My goal is to…'). In business or academic settings, 'objective' or 'target' are more formal alternatives.
常見錯誤
7. a popular online expression that people use to show they admire someone else's l
a popular online expression that people use to show they admire someone else's life, appearance, relationship, or achievement and would like the same for themselves.
Meera posted a photo of her aunt's garden with the caption 'Garden goals.'
[noun] goals [social media pattern]
Zuri saw a video of a couple dancing and commented 'Relationship goals.'
Niran and Alessia both laughed at the caption 'Friendship goals' under their group photo.
Kian used the hashtag 'CareerGoals' when he posted about his new promotion.
- aspirational
an adjective describing something worth aspiring to, more formal ('Her lifestyle is so aspirational').
文法句型
[noun] goals
#goals
用法筆記
Always used in the plural form 'goals' (never 'goal' for this meaning). Extremely informal — suitable for social media posts, captions, and casual conversation. Often written as a compound: 'relationship goals,' 'fitness goals,' or combined into a hashtag '#goals.'
常見錯誤
8. the line or point at which a race, run, or journey officially finishes.
the line or point at which a race, run, or journey officially finishes.
Ishaan reached the goal of the marathon after running for over four hours.
cross the goal [of a race]
Kian's legs were aching badly when he finally reached the goal of the race.
Sora cheered loudly as her friend Mia approached the goal of the cycling race.
Manuela sprinted toward the finish line and collapsed with joy after reaching the goal.
- finish line
the standard term in American English ('She was first to cross the finish line').
- finishing post
used in horse racing and running events ('The horse passed the finishing post').
- starting line
the point where a race begins.
文法句型
the goal of a race
reach the goal
cross the goal
用法筆記
More common in British English. In American English, 'finish line' is the usual term for the end of a race.