Tähtäimillään

Tähtäimillään is a Finnish word that translates to "with their sights" or "aiming" in English. It is the adessive plural form of the word tähti, which means "star" or "sight" (as in the sighting mechanism on a weapon). Therefore, "tähtäimillään" literally refers to having something in one's sights.

The phrase is most commonly used in contexts related to hunting, shooting, or military operations, where it describes the act of aiming at a target. For example, "Metsästäjä oli tähtäimillään hirveä" would mean "The hunter had the moose in their sights." It can also be used figuratively to indicate that someone or something is the focus of attention or a goal. In this metaphorical sense, it implies that someone or something is being closely observed or targeted for a particular purpose, whether positive or negative.

The word itself is composed of "tähtäin" (sight) and the adessive case suffix "-llään" which indicates possession or accompaniment. The adessive case is used in Finnish to express various relationships, including "on," "at," "with," or "by means of." In this specific instance, "-llään" denotes that the sights are in possession or being utilized by the subject. While the literal translation is "with their sights," the idiomatic usage often conveys the action of aiming rather than just the presence of the sights.