Adjacent Words

Design definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DESIGN, v.t.[L. To seal or stamp, that is, to set or throw.]
1. To delineate a form or figure by drawing the outline; to sketch; as in painting and other works of art.
2. To plan; to form an outline or representation of any thing. Hence,
3. To project; to form in idea, as a scheme. Hence,
4. To purpose or intend; as, a man designs to write an essay, or to study law.
5. To mark out by tokens.
6. To intend to apply or appropriate; with for; as, we design this ground for a garden, and that for a park. The word design may include an adapting or planning a thing for a purpose, or mere intention or scheme of the mind, which implies a plan. The father designs his son for the profession of the law, or for the ministry. It was formerly followed by to, but this use is now uncommon.
DESIGN, n.
1. A plan or representation of a thing by an outline; sketch; general view; first idea represented by visible lines; as in painting or architecture.
2. A scheme or plan in the mind. A wise man is distinguished by the judiciousness of his designs.
3. Purpose; intention; aim; implying a scheme or plan in the mind. It is my design to educate my son for the bar.
4. The idea or scheme intended to be expressed by an artist; as the designs of medals.
5. In manufactories, the figures with which workmen enrich their stuffs, copied from painting or draughts.
6. In music, the invention and conduct of the subject; the disposition of every part, and the general order of the whole.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the act of working out the form of something (as by making a sketch or outline or plan); "he contributed to the design of a new instrument" [syn: design, designing]
2: an arrangement scheme; "the awkward design of the keyboard made operation difficult"; "it was an excellent design for living"; "a plan for seating guests" [syn: design, plan]
3: something intended as a guide for making something else; "a blueprint for a house"; "a pattern for a skirt" [syn: blueprint, design, pattern]
4: a decorative or artistic work; "the coach had a design on the doors" [syn: design, pattern, figure]
5: an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions; "his intent was to provide a new translation"; "good intentions are not enough"; "it was created with the conscious aim of answering immediate needs"; "he made no secret of his designs" [syn: purpose, intent, intention, aim, design]
6: a preliminary sketch indicating the plan for something; "the design of a building"
7: the creation of something in the mind [syn: invention, innovation, excogitation, conception, design] v
1: make or work out a plan for; devise; "They contrived to murder their boss"; "design a new sales strategy"; "plan an attack" [syn: plan, project, contrive, design]
2: plan something for a specific role or purpose or effect; "This room is not designed for work"
3: create the design for; create or execute in an artistic or highly skilled manner; "Chanel designed the famous suit"
4: make a design of; plan out in systematic, often graphic form; "design a better mousetrap"; "plan the new wing of the museum" [syn: design, plan]
5: create designs; "Dupont designs for the house of Chanel"
6: conceive or fashion in the mind; invent; "She designed a good excuse for not attending classes that day"
7: intend or have as a purpose; "She designed to go far in the world of business"

Merriam Webster's

I. verb Etymology: Middle English, to outline, indicate, mean, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French designer to designate, from Medieval Latin designare, from Latin, to mark out, from de- + signare to mark — more at sign Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. to create, fashion, execute, or construct according to plan ; devise, contrive 2. a. to conceive and plan out in the mind <he designed the perfect crime> b. to have as a purpose ; intend <she designed to excel in her studies> c. to devise for a specific function or end <a book designed primarily as a college textbook> 3. archaic to indicate with a distinctive mark, sign, or name 4. a. to make a drawing, pattern, or sketch of b. to draw the plans for <design a building> intransitive verb 1. to conceive or execute a plan 2. to draw, lay out, or prepare a design • designedly adverb II. noun Date: 1569 1. a. a particular purpose held in view by an individual or group <he has ambitious designs for his son> b. deliberate purposive planning <more by accident than design> 2. a mental project or scheme in which means to an end are laid down 3. a. a deliberate undercover project or scheme ; plot b. plural aggressive or evil intent — used with on or against <he has designs on the money> 4. a preliminary sketch or outline showing the main features of something to be executed <the design for the new stadium> 5. a. an underlying scheme that governs functioning, developing, or unfolding ; pattern, motif <the general design of the epic> b. a plan or protocol for carrying out or accomplishing something (as a scientific experiment); also the process of preparing this 6. the arrangement of elements or details in a product or work of art 7. a decorative pattern <a floral design> 8. the creative art of executing aesthetic or functional designs Synonyms: see intention, plan

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a a preliminary plan or sketch for the making or production of a building, machine, garment, etc. b the art of producing these. 2 a scheme of lines or shapes forming a pattern or decoration. 3 a plan, purpose, or intention. 4 a the general arrangement or layout of a product. b an established version of a product (one of our most popular designs). --v. 1 tr. produce a design for (a building, machine, picture, garment, etc.). 2 tr. intend, plan, or purpose (the remark was designed to offend; a course designed for beginners; designed an attack). 3 absol. be a designer. Phrases and idioms: argument from design Theol. the argument that God's existence is provable by the evidence of design in the universe. by design on purpose. have designs on plan to harm or appropriate. Etymology: F désigner appoint or obs. F desseing ult. f. L designare DESIGNATE

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Design De*sign", v. i. To form a design or designs; to plan. Design for, to intend to go to. [Obs.] ``From this city she designed for Collin [Cologne].'' --Evelyn.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Design De*sign", n. [Cf. dessein, dessin.] 1. A preliminary sketch; an outline or pattern of the main features of something to be executed, as of a picture, a building, or a decoration; a delineation; a plan. 2. A plan or scheme formed in the mind of something to be done; preliminary conception; idea intended to be expressed in a visible form or carried into action; intention; purpose; -- often used in a bad sense for evil intention or purpose; scheme; plot. The vast design and purpos? of the King. --Tennyson. The leaders of that assembly who withstood the designs of a besotted woman. --Hallam. A . . . settled design upon another man's life. --Locke. How little he could guess the secret designs of the court! --Macaulay. 3. Specifically, intention or purpose as revealed or inferred from the adaptation of means to an end; as, the argument from design. 4. The realization of an inventive or decorative plan; esp., a work of decorative art considered as a new creation; conception or plan shown in completed work; as, this carved panel is a fine design, or of a fine design. 5. (Mus.) The invention and conduct of the subject; the disposition of every part, and the general order of the whole. Arts of design, those into which the designing of artistic forms and figures enters as a principal part, as architecture, painting, engraving, sculpture. School of design, one in which are taught the invention and delineation of artistic or decorative figures, patterns, and the like. Syn: Intention; purpose; scheme; project; plan; idea. Usage: Design, Intention, Purpose. Design has reference to something definitely aimed at. Intention points to the feelings or desires with which a thing is sought. Purpose has reference to a settled choice or determination for its attainment. ``I had no design to injure you,'' means it was no part of my aim or object. ``I had no intention to injure you,'' means, I had no wish or desire of that kind. ``My purpose was directly the reverse,'' makes the case still stronger. Is he a prudent man . . . that lays designs only for a day, without any prospect to the remaining part of his life? --Tillotson. I wish others the same intention, and greater successes. --Sir W. Temple. It is the purpose that makes strong the vow. --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Design De*sign" (?; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Designed; p. pr. & vb. n. Designing.] [F. d['e]signer to designate, cf. F. dessiner to draw, dessin drawing, dessein a plan or scheme; all, ultimately, from L. designare to designate; de- + signare to mark, mark out, signum mark, sign. See Sign, and cf. Design, n., Designate.] 1. To draw preliminary outline or main features of; to sketch for a pattern or model; to delineate; to trace out; to draw. --Dryden. 2. To mark out and exhibit; to designate; to indicate; to show; to point out; to appoint. We shall see Justice design the victor's chivalry. --Shak. Meet me to-morrow where the master And this fraternity shall design. --Beau. & Fl. 3. To create or produce, as a work of art; to form a plan or scheme of; to form in idea; to invent; to project; to lay out in the mind; as, a man designs an essay, a poem, a statue, or a cathedral. 4. To intend or purpose; -- usually with for before the remote object, but sometimes with to. Ask of politicians the end for which laws were originally designed. --Burke. He was designed to the study of the law. --Dryden. Syn: To sketch; plan; purpose; intend; propose; project; mean.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(designs, designing, designed) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. When someone designs a garment, building, machine, or other object, they plan it and make a detailed drawing of it from which it can be built or made. They wanted to design a machine that was both attractive and practical. ...men wearing specially designed boots. VERB: V n, V-ed 2. When someone designs a survey, policy, or system, they plan and prepare it, and decide on all the details of it. We may be able to design a course to suit your particular needs... A number of very well designed studies have been undertaken. VERB: V n, V-ed 3. Design is the process and art of planning and making detailed drawings of something. He was a born mechanic with a flair for design... N-UNCOUNT 4. The design of something is the way in which it has been planned and made. ...a new design of clock... BMW is recalling 8,000 cars because of a design fault. N-UNCOUNT: usu with supp 5. A design is a drawing which someone produces to show how they would like something to be built or made. They drew up the design for the house in a week. = plan N-COUNT 6. A design is a pattern of lines, flowers, or shapes which is used to decorate something. Many pictures have been based on simple geometric designs. = motif N-COUNT 7. A design is a general plan or intention that someone has in their mind when they are doing something. Is there some design in having him in the middle?... N-COUNT 8. If something is designed for a particular purpose, it is intended for that purpose. This project is designed to help landless people... It's not designed for anyone under age eighteen. V-PASSIVE: be V-ed to-inf, be V-ed for n 9. If something happens or is done by design, someone does it deliberately, rather than by accident. The pair met often–at first by chance but later by design. = on purpose PHRASE 10. If someone has designs on something, they want it and are planning to get it, often in a dishonest way. His colonel had designs on his wife... PHRASE: V inflects

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Project, plan, devise, contrive, scheme, concoct, brew. 2. Purpose, intend, mean, propose to one's self, have in view. 3. Draw, delineate, sketch, describe, trace out. II. n. 1. Intention, intent, purpose, project, plan, device, scheme, proposal, aim, intent, meaning, purport, drift, scope, object, mark. 2. Sketch, drawing, outline, delineation, plan, draught. 3. Contrivance, invention, inventiveness, adaptation of means to ends.

Moby Thesaurus

abstract art, action, aim, aim at, ambition, anagnorisis, angle, animus, approach, architectonics, architecture, argument, arrange, arrangement, art, art form, art object, artful dodge, artifice, artist, arts and crafts, arts of design, aspiration, aspire after, aspire to, atmosphere, attack, background, background detail, bag of tricks, balance, be after, beget, black and white, blind, blueprint, blueprinting, bluff, bosey, brainchild, breed, bric-a-brac, bring forth, bring into being, brouillon, brushwork, cabal, calculate, calculation, call into being, calligraphy, canon form, cartoon, cast, catastrophe, catch, cave art, ceramics, chalk, characterization, charcoal, charcoal drawing, chart, charting, chiaroscuro, chicanery, chouse, classic, coin, color, complication, composition, conation, conceive, conception, concert, concoct, configuration, connivance, conniving, conspiracy, constitution, construct, construction, contemplate, continuity, contrivance, contrive, cook up, copy, counsel, coup, craft, crayon, create, creation, crosshatch, curve, curve-ball, cut out, cute trick, dash off, daub, deceit, decoration, decorative composition, decorative style, deliberation, delineate, delineation, denouement, depict, desideration, desideratum, designing, designs, desire, destine, detail, determination, determine, develop, development, device, devise, diagram, dirty deal, dirty trick, disposition, dodge, doodle, dope out, draft, draftsmanship, draw, draw up, drawing, dream up, drive at, ebauche, effect, elevation, engender, engraving, enterprise, envisage, envisagement, envision, episode, esquisse, etching, evil intent, evolve, expedient, fable, fabricate, fakement, falling action, fashion, fast deal, feint, fetch, ficelle, figure, figuring, fine arts, fixed purpose, foil, folk art, forecast, foreground detail, foresight, forethought, forge, form, format, formation, frame, fugue form, function, gambit, game, game plan, generate, gimmick, give being to, give rise to, go for, goal, googly, graph, graphic arts, graphing, grift, grotesque, ground plan, grouping, guidelines, harbor a design, hatch, have every intention, hocus-pocus, house plan, ichnography, idea, improvise, incident, intend, intendment, intent, intention, intrigue, invent, invention, joker, juggle, jugglery, kitsch, knavery, lay out, lay plans, layout, lied form, limn, line, line drawing, lineup, little game, local color, long-range plan, machination, make, make a projection, make arrangements, make do with, make up, maneuver, manipulation, map, map out, mapping, master, master plan, masterpiece, masterwork, mature, mean, meaning, method, methodize, methodology, mind, mint, mobile, model, mood, motif, motive, mould, move, movement, museum piece, mythos, national style, nisus, nude, object, objective, old master, operations research, organization, organize, originate, ornamental motif, outline, paint, paint a picture, painterliness, pass, pastel, pasticcio, pastiche, pattern, pen-and-ink, pencil, pencil drawing, period style, peripeteia, perspective, photography, picture, picturize, piece, piece of virtu, plan, plan ahead, planning, planning function, plastic art, plot, ploy, point, portray, prearrange, prearrangement, primary form, primitive art, procedure, procreate, produce, profile, program, program of action, project, projection, proposal, propose, prospectus, prototype, purport, purpose, racket, rationalization, rationalize, recognition, red herring, reflection, repeated figure, resolution, resolve, rising action, rondo form, rough, rough copy, rough draft, rough outline, ruse, sake, schedule, schema, schematism, schematization, schematize, scheme, scheme of arrangement, scratch, sculpture, scumble, scurvy trick, secondary plot, set out, set up, setting, setup, shade, shading, shadow, shape, shift, silhouette, silver-print drawing, sinopia, skeleton, sketch, sketch out, slant, sleight, sleight of hand, sleight-of-hand trick, sonata allegro, sonata form, spawn, stabile, statue, stencil, still life, story, stratagem, strategic plan, strategy, strike out, striving, structure, study, style, subject, subplot, subterfuge, switch, symphonic form, system, systematization, systematize, table, tactic, tactical plan, tactics, target, technique, the arts, the big picture, the picture, thematic development, theme, think, think of, think out, think up, thinking, thought, tint, toccata form, tone, topic, touch, trace, tracing, treatment, trick, trickery, twist, undertaking, values, view, vignette, virtu, visualize, volition, way, wile, will, wily device, work, work of art, work out, work up, working drawing, working plan