Adjacent Words

Scheme definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SCHEME, n. [L. schema; Gr. from a contracted word, probably from to have or hold.]
1. A plan; a combination of things connected and adjusted by design; a system.
We shall never be able to give ourselves a satisfactory account of the divine conduct without forming such a scheme of things as shall take in time and eternity.
2. A project; a contrivance; a plan of something to be done; a design. Thus we say, to form a scheme, to lay a scheme, to contrive a scheme.
The stoical scheme of supplying our wants by lopping off our desires, is like cutting off our feet when we want shoes.
3. A representation of the aspects of the celestial bodies; any lineal or mathematical diagram.
SCHEME, v.t. To plan; to contrive.
SCHEME, v.i. To form a plan; to contrive.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: an elaborate and systematic plan of action [syn: scheme, strategy]
2: a statement that evades the question by cleverness or trickery [syn: dodge, dodging, scheme]
3: a group of independent but interrelated elements comprising a unified whole; "a vast system of production and distribution and consumption keep the country going" [syn: system, scheme]
4: an internal representation of the world; an organization of concepts and actions that can be revised by new information about the world [syn: schema, scheme]
5: a schematic or preliminary plan [syn: outline, schema, scheme] v
1: form intrigues (for) in an underhand manner [syn: scheme, intrigue, connive]
2: devise a system or form a scheme for

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Latin schemat-, schema arrangement, figure, from Greek sch?mat-, sch?ma, from echein to have, hold, be in (such) a condition; akin to Old English sige victory, Sanskrit sahate he prevails Date: circa 1595 1. a. archaic (1) a mathematical or astronomical diagram (2) a representation of the astrological aspects of the planets at a particular time b. a graphic sketch or outline 2. a concise statement or table ; epitome 3. a plan or program of action; especially a crafty or secret one 4. a systematic or organized configuration ; design <color scheme> Synonyms: see plan II. verb (schemed; scheming) Date: 1749 transitive verb to form a scheme for intransitive verb to form plans; also plot, intrigue • schemer noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a a systematic plan or arrangement for work, action, etc. b a proposed or operational systematic arrangement (a colour scheme). 2 an artful or deceitful plot. 3 a timetable, outline, syllabus, etc. --v. 1 intr. (often foll. by for, or to + infin.) plan esp. secretly or deceitfully; intrigue. 2 tr. plan to bring about, esp. artfully or deceitfully (schemed their downfall). Derivatives: schemer n. Etymology: L schema f. Gk (as SCHEMA)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Scheme Scheme, v. i. To form a scheme or schemes.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Scheme Scheme, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Schemed; p. pr. & vb. n. Scheming.] To make a scheme of; to plan; to design; to project; to plot. That wickedness which schemed, and executed, his destruction. --G. Stuart.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Scheme Scheme, n. [L. schema a rhetorical figure, a shape, figure, manner, Gr. ?, ?, form, shape, outline, plan, fr. ?, ?, to have or hold, to hold out, sustain, check, stop; cf. Skr. sah to be victorious, to endure, to hold out, AS. sige victory, G. sieg. Cf. Epoch, Hectic, School.] 1. A combination of things connected and adjusted by design; a system. The appearance and outward scheme of things. --Locke. Such a scheme of things as shall at once take in time and eternity. --Atterbury. Arguments . . . sufficient to support and demonstrate a whole scheme of moral philosophy. --J. Edwards. The Revolution came and changed his whole scheme of life. --Macaulay. 2. A plan or theory something to be done; a design; a project; as, to form a scheme. The stoical scheme of supplying our wants by lopping off our desires, is like cutting off our feet when we want shoes. --Swift. 3. Any lineal or mathematical diagram; an outline. To draw an exact scheme of Constantinople, or a map of France. --South. 4. (Astrol.) A representation of the aspects of the celestial bodies for any moment or at a given event. A blue silk case, from which was drawn a scheme of nativity. --Sir W. Scott. Syn: Plan; project; contrivance; purpose; device; plot. Usage: Scheme, Plan. Scheme and plan are subordinate to design; they propose modes of carrying our designs into effect. Scheme is the least definite of the two, and lies more in speculation. A plan is drawn out into details with a view to being carried into effect. As schemes are speculative, they often prove visionary; hence the opprobrious use of the words schemer and scheming. Plans, being more practical, are more frequently carried into effect. He forms the well-concerted scheme of mischief; 'T is fixed, 't is done, and both are doomed to death. --Rowe. Artists and plans relieved my solemn hours; I founded palaces, and planted bowers. --Prior.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(schemes, scheming, schemed) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. A scheme is a plan or arrangement involving many people which is made by a government or other organization. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use program) ...schemes to help combat unemployment. ...a private pension scheme... N-COUNT: oft N to-inf, n N 2. A scheme is someone's plan for achieving something. ...a quick money-making scheme to get us through the summer... N-COUNT: oft N to-inf, N for -ing 3. If you say that people are scheming, you mean that they are making secret plans in order to gain something for themselves. Everyone's always scheming and plotting... The bride's family were scheming to prevent a wedding... They claimed that their opponents were scheming against them... You're a scheming little devil, aren't you? VERB: oft cont, V, V to-inf, V against n, V-ing [disapproval] • scheming ...their favourite pastimes of scheming and gossiping. 4. see also colour scheme, pension scheme 5. When people talk about the scheme of things or the grand scheme of things , they are referring to the way that everything in the world seems to be organized. We realize that we are infinitely small within the scheme of things. PHRASE

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Plan, system, theory. 2. Device, design, plan, project, contrivance, plot, stratagem, conspiracy, intrigue, cabal, machination. 3. Draught, outline, diagram, arrangement. II. v. a. Plan, contrive, project, plot, devise, design, imagine, frame, excogitate. III. v. n. Intrigue, plot, plan, contrive.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

A party of pleasure.

Moby Thesaurus

Byzantine intrigues, action, anagnorisis, angle, approach, architectonics, architecture, argument, arrangement, art, artful dodge, artifice, atmosphere, attack, background, backstairs influence, bag of tricks, blind, blueprint, blueprinting, bluff, bosey, brew, cabal, calculate, calculation, catalog, catalogue raisonne, catastrophe, catch, characterization, chart, charting, chicanery, chouse, collude, collusion, color, complication, complicity, complot, conception, concoct, confederacy, connections, connivance, connive, conspiracy, conspire, continuity, contrivance, contrive, contriving, cook up, countermine, counterplot, coup, course of action, covin, craft, curve, curve-ball, cute trick, deals, deceit, deep-laid plot, denouement, design, development, device, devise, diagram, dirty deal, dirty trick, disposition, dodge, draft, drawing, engineer, engineering, enterprise, envisagement, episode, expedient, exposition, fable, fakement, falling action, fast deal, feint, fetch, ficelle, figuring, finagle, finagling, finesse, fix, foresight, forethink, forethought, formulate, frame, frame up, frame-up, gambit, game, game plan, games, gerrymander, gimmick, googly, graph, graphing, grift, ground plan, guidelines, hatch, hatch a plot, hatch up, hocus-pocus, idea, incident, influence peddling, intention, intrigue, intrigues, jockey, joker, juggle, jugglery, knavery, lay a plot, layout, line, lineup, little game, lobbying, lobbyism, local color, long-range plan, machinate, machination, maneuver, maneuvering, manipulate, manipulation, map, mapping, master plan, method, methodology, mood, motif, move, movement, mythos, operate, operations research, order, ordering, organization, organize, outline, pack, pack the deal, pass, pattern, peripeteia, plan, planning, planning function, play games, plot, plotting, ploy, ploys, practice, prearrange, prearrangement, preconcert, preconsider, precontrive, predesign, predetermine, premeditate, preorder, preresolve, presentation, procedure, program, program of action, project, projection, proposal, proposition, pull strings, racket, rationalization, recognition, red herring, rig, rigging, rising action, ropes, ruse, scenario, schedule, schema, schematic, schematism, schematization, scheme of arrangement, schemery, schemes, scheming, scurvy trick, secondary plot, set up, setup, sew up, shift, slant, sleight, sleight of hand, sleight-of-hand trick, stack the cards, story, stratagem, strategic plan, strategy, strings, structure, subject, subplot, subterfuge, suggestion, switch, system, systematization, table, table of contents, tactic, tactical plan, tactics, technique, the big picture, the picture, thematic development, theme, tone, topic, trick, trickery, twist, underplot, wangle, way, web of intrigue, wile, wily device, wire-pulling, wires, work out beforehand, working plan