A purpose; something that is intended.
"She set out on her journey with a clear intent to reach the summit before sunset."
In plain English: Intent is what you really mean to do when you take an action.
"She stared at him with clear intent to leave the room immediately."
Usage: Use "intent" to describe a deliberate plan or purpose behind an action, such as acting with criminal intent. Do not confuse it with "intend," which is the verb form describing the act of planning.
Firmly fixed or concentrated on something.
"She stared at the target with unwavering intent before releasing her arrow."
In plain English: When something is done with intent, it means it was planned on purpose rather than happening by accident.
"The intent look on her face made everyone nervous."
Usage: Use "intent" to describe someone who is fully focused on a specific goal or action, often phrased as being "intent on" doing something. Avoid using it merely to mean "intended," which requires the noun form of the word.
The word entered English in the Middle Ages as entente from Old French, where it originally meant "attention" or "agreement." Its modern form and meaning of "purposeful aim" evolved later through a spelling change that brought it closer to its Latin root, intentus.