outline

American  

[out-lahyn] / ˈaʊtˌlaɪn /

noun

1. the line by which a figure or object is defined or bounded; contour.

2. a drawing or sketch restricted to line without shading or modeling of form.

3. a general sketch, account, or report, indicating only the main features, as of a book, subject, or project.

   an outline of medieval history; an outline of a speech.

   Synonyms:

   summary, synopsis, rough, draft, plan

4. outlines, the essential features or main aspects of something under discussion.

   At the first meeting, we gave her only the outlines of the project.

5. Printing. an ornamented type in which the outside contours of each character appear in black, with the inside left white.

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verb (used with object)

outlined, outlining

1. to draw the outline of, or draw in outline, as a figure or object.

   Synonyms:

   draft, delineate

2. to give an outline of; sketch the main features of.

   On the first day, the professor just outlined the course for us.

   Synonyms:

   draft, delineate

outline British  

/ ˈaʊtˌlaɪn /

noun

1. a preliminary or schematic plan, draft, account, etc

2. (usually plural) the important features of an argument, theory, work, etc

3. the line by which an object or figure is or appears to be bounded

4. 1. a drawing or manner of drawing consisting only of external lines

   2. ( as modifier )

      an outline map

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verb

1. to draw or display the outline of

2. to give the main features or general idea of

Related Words

See form.

Other Word Forms

• preoutline noun
• reoutline verb (used with object)
• well-outlined adjective

Etymology

Origin of outline

First recorded in 1655–65; out- + line ¹

Example Sentences

WPP slashed dividends and said it would overhaul its operations, opening the door to selling some businesses, as new boss Cindy Rose outlined her plan to lift the U.K. advertising group out of the doldrums.

From The Wall Street Journal

A viral blog post by Citrini Research outlined a future where AI leads to widespread unemployment, a stock market crash, and social unrest.

From Barron's

The Spanish bank outlined financial targets for the next three years.

From The Wall Street Journal

But as the powder settled, Duane could observe the outline of a creature.

From Literature

Against the rising sun they were just two black shapes, but I knew those hulking outlines well.

From Literature

Related Words

• blueprint
• draft
• drawing
• framework
• summary
• synopsis