The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Purpose \Pur"pose\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Purposed; p. pr. & vb.
   n. Purposing.] [OF. purposer, proposer. See Propose.]
   1. To set forth; to bring forward. [Obs.]
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To propose, as an aim, to one's self; to determine upon,
      as some end or object to be accomplished; to intend; to
      design; to resolve; -- often followed by an infinitive or
      dependent clause. --Chaucer.
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            Did nothing purpose against the state. -- Shak.
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            I purpose to write the history of England from the
            accession of King James the Second down to a time
            which is within the memory of men still living.
                                                  --Macaulay.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Purpose \Pur"pose\, n. [OF. purpos, pourpos, propos, L.
   propositum. See Propound.]
   1. That which a person sets before himself as an object to be
      reached or accomplished; the end or aim to which the view
      is directed in any plan, measure, or exertion; view; aim;
      design; intention; plan.
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            He will his firste purpos modify.     --Chaucer.
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            As my eternal purpose hath decreed.   -- Milton.
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            The flighty purpose never is o'ertook
            Unless the deed go with it.           --Shak.
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   2. Proposal to another; discourse. [Obs.] --Spenser.
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   3. Instance; example. [Obs.] --L'Estrange.
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   In purpose, Of purpose, On purpose, with previous
      design; with the mind directed to that object;
      intentionally. On purpose is the form now generally used.
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   Syn: design; end; intention; aim. See Design.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Purpose \Pur"pose\, v. i.
   To have a purpose or intention; to discourse. [Obs.]
   --Spenser.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

purpose
    n 1: an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your
         planned actions; "his intent was to provide a new
         translation"; "good intentions are not enough"; "it was
         created with the conscious aim of answering immediate
         needs"; "he made no secret of his designs" [syn: purpose,
         intent, intention, aim, design]
    2: what something is used for; "the function of an auger is to
       bore holes"; "ballet is beautiful but what use is it?" [syn:
       function, purpose, role, use]
    3: the quality of being determined to do or achieve something;
       firmness of purpose; "his determination showed in his every
       movement"; "he is a man of purpose" [syn: determination,
       purpose]
    v 1: propose or intend; "I aim to arrive at noon" [syn: aim,
         purpose, purport, propose]
    2: reach a decision; "he resolved never to drink again" [syn:
       purpose, resolve]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

145 Moby Thesaurus words for "purpose":
   advantage, aim, aim at, ambition, animus, aspiration, aspire,
   aspire after, aspire to, avail, be after, benefit, by design,
   commitment, conclude, consciously, consider, contemplate, counsel,
   decide, decidedness, decision, decisiveness, dedication,
   definiteness, deliberately, deliberateness, deliberation,
   desideration, desideratum, design, designedly, desire, destination,
   destine, determinateness, determination, determine, determinedness,
   devotion, direction, doggedness, drive, drive at, duty,
   earnestness, effect, end, end use, especially, exactly, expressly,
   firmness, fix, fixed purpose, function, gain, go for, goal, good,
   harbor a design, have every intention, have in mind, have in view,
   idea, immediate purpose, in particular, intend, intendment, intent,
   intention, intentionally, knowingly, long, mark, mean, meaning,
   meditate, mind, mission, motivation, motive, nisus, object,
   objective, obstinacy, office, on purpose, operation,
   operational purpose, outcome, perseverance, persistence, plan,
   point, ponder, practicality, precisely, principle, profit, project,
   proposal, propose, proposition, prospectus, purport,
   purposefulness, purposely, rationale, reason, relentlessness,
   resoluteness, resolution, resolve, resolvedness, result, role,
   sake, scheme, seal, self-will, seriousness, settle, sincerity,
   single-mindedness, specially, specifically, steadfastness,
   striving, stubbornness, study, take a resolution, target, tenacity,
   think, total commitment, ultimate purpose, use, usefulness,
   utility, view, will, wittingly, work, yearn