σκοπός
Alt. σκοπός,
Etym. σκέπτομαι
I. "one that watches, one that looks after" things, Hom.; of gods and kings, "a guardian, protector", Ὀλύμπου σκ. Pind.
2. "a lookout-man, watchman", stationed on a σκοπιά, Lat. speculator, Hom., Xen.: "one who marks" game, Xen.
3. "a spy, scout", Il., Trag.
II. "the object on which one fixes the eye, a mark", Lat. scopus, Od.; ἀπὸ σκοποῦ away from "the mark", id=Od.; so, παρὰ σκοπόν Pind.; σκοποῦ τυχεῖν to hit "the" mark, id=Pind.; ἐπὶ σκοπὸν βάλλειν Xen.
2. metaph. "an aim, end, object", Plat.