story
1 Americannoun
plural
stories-
a narrative, either true or fictitious, in prose or verse, designed to interest, amuse, or instruct the hearer or reader; tale.
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a fictitious tale, shorter and less elaborate than a novel.
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such narratives or tales as a branch of literature.
song and story.
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the plot or succession of incidents of a novel, poem, drama, etc..
The characterizations were good, but the story was weak.
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a narration of an incident or a series of events or an example of these that is or may be narrated, as an anecdote, joke, etc.
- Synonyms:
- recital
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a narration of the events in the life of a person or the existence of a thing, or such events as a subject for narration.
the story of medicine; the story of his life.
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a report or account of a matter; statement or allegation.
The story goes that he rejected the offer.
- Synonyms:
- description
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a lie or fabrication.
What he said about himself turned out to be a story.
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Obsolete. history.
verb (used with object)
-
to ornament with pictured scenes, as from history or legend.
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Obsolete. to tell the history or story of.
noun
plural
stories-
a complete horizontal section of a building, having one continuous or practically continuous floor.
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the set of rooms on the same floor or level of a building.
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any major horizontal architectural division, as of a façade or the wall of a nave.
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a layer.
noun
-
Joseph, 1779–1845, U.S. jurist.
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William Wetmore 1819–95, U.S. sculptor and poet.
noun
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a narration of a chain of events told or written in prose or verse
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Also called: short story. a piece of fiction, briefer and usually less detailed than a novel
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Also called: story line. the plot of a book, film, etc
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an event that could be the subject of a narrative
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a report or statement on a matter or event
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the event or material for such a report
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informal a lie, fib, or untruth
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to leave out details in a narration
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informal the familiar or regular course of events
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it is commonly said or believed
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
- storyless adjective
Etymology
Origin of story1
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English stori(e), store, “(written or oral) narrative; history,” from Anglo-French (e)storie ( Old French estoire), from Latin historia history
Origin of story2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English stori(e), from Anglo-Latin (hi)storia architetcure term for a picture decorating a building, a part of the building so decorated, hence floor, story, from Latin historia history
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Director Elia Kazan was drawn to both playwrights because he understood that they were as interested in the stories of individual Americans as they were in the larger tale of America itself.
From Los Angeles Times
They understand and relate to the story lines more now than they did when they first watched.
The bonus scene takes place sometime after the movie’s main story ends at the prison where Bowser and Bowser Jr. have been locked up.
From Los Angeles Times
This project is about connecting communities with stories that are relevant to them and connecting our collections with new perspectives.
From BBC
They asked to be referred only by their first names for this story.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
