Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Language: Latin
Origin: ambitio, from ambire; AMBIENT

ambition

 noun
     
am‧bi‧tion
1 [countable] a strong desire to achieve something
achieve/fulfil/realize an ambition
She fulfilled her ambition to run the 10,000 metres in under 30 minutes.
lifelong ambition
He always had this burning ambition (=very strong desire) to start his own business.
the political ambitions of the working class
an ambition to do something/of doing something
His ambition to become a pilot was thwarted by poor eyesight.
cherish/nurse/harbour an ambition (=have it secretly for a long time)
He harboured ambitions of becoming leader.
2 [uncountable] determination to be successful, rich, powerful etc:
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
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