Purpose vs. Background

Purpose vs. Background — Is There a Difference?
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Difference Between Purpose and Background

Purposenoun

An object to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal. "purpose".

Backgroundadjective

Less important in a scene.

background noise.

Purposenoun

A result that is desired; an intention.

Backgroundnoun

One's social heritage, or previous life; what one did in the past.

The lawyer had a background in computer science.

Purposenoun

The act of intending to do something; resolution; determination.

Backgroundnoun

A part of the picture that depicts scenery to the rear or behind the main subject; context.

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Purposenoun

The subject of discourse; the point at issue.

Backgroundnoun

Information relevant to the current situation about past events; history.

Purposenoun

The reason for which something is done, or the reason it is done in a particular way.

The purpose of turning off the lights overnight is to save energy.

Backgroundnoun

A less important feature of scenery (as opposed to foreground).

There was tons of noise in the background.The photographer let us pick a background for the portrait.

Purposenoun

(obsolete) Instance; example.

Backgroundnoun

(computing) The image or color over which a computer's desktop items are shown (e.g. icons or application windows).

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Purposeverb

(intransitive) To have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan.

Backgroundnoun

(computing) A type of activity on a computer that is not normally visible to the user.

The antivirus program is running in the background.

Purposeverb

To design for some purpose.

Backgroundverb

To put in a position that is not prominent.

Purposeverb

To discourse.

Backgroundverb

(journalism) To gather and provide background information (on).

Purposenoun

an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions;

his intent was to provide a new translationgood intentions are not enoughit was created with the conscious aim of answering immediate needshe made no secret of his designs

Backgroundnoun

a person's social heritage: previous experience or training;

he is a lawyer with a sports background

Purposenoun

what something is used for;

the function of an auger is to bore holesballet is beautiful but what use is it?

Backgroundnoun

the part of a scene (or picture) that lies behind objects in the foreground;

he posed her against a background of rolling hills

Purposenoun

the quality of being determined to do or achieve something;

his determination showed in his every movementhe is a man of purpose

Backgroundnoun

information that is essential to understanding a situation or problem;

the embassy filled him in on the background of the incident

Purposeverb

propose or intend;

I aim to arrive at noon

Backgroundnoun

extraneous signals that can be confused with the phenomenon to be observed or measured;

they got a bad connection and could hardly hear one another over the background signals

Purposeverb

reach a decision;

he resolved never to drink again

Backgroundnoun

relatively unimportant or inconspicuous accompanying situation;

when the rain came he could hear the sound of thunder in the background

Backgroundnoun

the state of the environment in which a situation exists;

you can't do that in a university setting

Backgroundnoun

(computer science) the area of the screen in graphical user interfaces against which icons and windows appear

Backgroundnoun

scenery hung at back of stage

Backgroundverb

understate the importance or quality of;

he played down his royal ancestry