Emily Dickinson Lexicon

TARG'ET, n. [Sax. targ, targa; Fr. targe; It. targa; W. targed, from taraw, to strike, whence tariad, a striking against or collision, a stopping, a staying, a tarrying; tariaw, to strike against, to stop, to tarry. We see that target is that which stops; hence, a defense; and from the root of tarry and tardy.]

1. A shield or buckler of a small kind, used as a defensive weapon in war.
2. A mark for the artillery to fire at in their practice.