Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Outline

Out′lineˊ

,
Noun.
1.
(a)
The line which marks the outer limits of an object or figure; the exterior line or edge; contour.
(b)
In art: A line drawn by pencil, pen, graver, or the like, by which the boundary of a figure is indicated.
(c)
A sketch composed of such lines; the delineation of a figure without shading.
Painters, by their
outlines
, colors, lights, and shadows, represent the same in their pictures.
Dryden.
2.
Fig.: A sketch of any scheme; a preliminary or general indication of a plan, system, discourse, course of thought, etc.;
as, the
outline
of a speech
.
But that larger grief . . .
Is given in
outline
and no more.
Tennyson.
Syn. – Sketch; draught; delineation. See
Sketch
.

Out′lineˊ

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Outlined
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Outlining
.]
1.
To draw the outline of.
2.
Fig.: To sketch out or indicate as by an outline; to create a general framework of (a plan, system, discourse, course of thought), for which the details need to be added;
as, to
outline
an argument or a campaign
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Outline

OUT'LINE

,
Noun.
Contour; the line by which a figure is defined; the exterior line.

OUT'LINE

,
Verb.
T.
To draw the exterior line; to delineate; to sketch.

Definition 2024


outline

outline

English

Noun

outline (plural outlines)

  1. A line marking the boundary of an object figure.
  2. The outer shape of an object or figure.
  3. A sketch or drawing in which objects are delineated in contours without shading.
    • Dryden
      Painters, by their outlines, colours, lights, and shadows, represent the same in their pictures.
  4. A general description of some subject.
  5. A statement summarizing the important points of a text.
  6. A preliminary plan for a project.
    the outline of a speech
  7. (film industry) A prose telling of a story intended to be turned into a screenplay; generally longer and more detailed than a treatment.

Translations

See also

Verb

outline (third-person singular simple present outlines, present participle outlining, simple past and past participle outlined)

  1. (transitive) To draw an outline of something.
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess:
      He stood transfixed before the unaccustomed view of London at night time, a vast panorama which reminded him [] of some wood engravings far off and magical, in a printshop in his childhood. They dated from the previous century and were coarsely printed on tinted paper, with tinsel outlining the design.
  2. (transitive) To summarize something.
    Wikipedia items featuring books usually outline them after giving their background.
    • 1907, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “chapter VIII”, in The Younger Set (Project Gutenberg; EBook #14852), New York, N.Y.: A. L. Burt Company, published 1 February 2005 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 4241346:
      At her invitation he outlined for her the succeeding chapters with terse military accuracy ; and what she liked best and best understood was avoidance of that false modesty which condescends, turning technicality into pabulum.

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