to no purpose

Variant of purpose

purpose definition

pur·pose (pʉr′pəs)

transitive verb, intransitive verb purposed -·posed, purposing -·pos·ing

to intend, resolve, or plan

Etymology: ME purposen < OFr porposer, var. of proposer: see propose

noun

  1. something one intends to get or do; intention; aim
  2. resolution; determination
  3. the object for which something exists or is done; end in view

Etymology: ME < OFr porpos

purpose Idioms

of set purpose

  1. with a specific end in view
  2. not accidentally; by design

on purpose

by design; intentionally

to good purpose

with a good result or effect; advantageously

to little purpose

or to no purpose
with little (or no) result or effect; pointlessly

to the purpose

relevant; pertinent

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.