gedoeld

Gedoeld is a Dutch term that functions as the past participle of the verb doelen, meaning to aim, target, or intend. As a participle, it can describe something that was aimed at or directed toward a particular target or purpose. In modern Dutch, gedoeld is uncommon outside specific historical or technical contexts and is often replaced by other expressions such as bedoeld (intended) or gericht (directed).

Etymology and usage notes: The word is formed with the prefix ge- attached to the verb doelen, producing the past participle gedoeld. It is related to the noun doel (goal, target) and to the verb that carries the same semantic field of aiming or directing attention. Because of semantic overlap with bedoelen (to mean or intend) and the frequent use of bedoelen in everyday language, gedoeld tends to appear mainly in older texts or specialized registers such as archery, shooting, or historical descriptions of targeting.

Usage and examples: In contemporary prose, one will usually encounter phrases such as bedoeld or gericht rather than gedoeld. When found, gedoeld often has a narrowly defined sense of "that was aimed at" or "that targeted," rather than the broader sense of intent. Grammatical use is largely unchanged from other past participles, typically forming the perfect with hebben (ik heb gedoeld).

See also: doel, doelen, bedoelen, richten.