a scheme or method of acting, doing, proceeding, making, etc., developed in advance.
battle plans.
a design or scheme of arrangement.
an elaborate plan for seating guests.
a specific project or definite purpose.
plans for the future.
Also called plan view. a drawing made to scale to represent the top view or a horizontal section of a structure or a machine, as a floor layout of a building.
a representation of a thing drawn on a plane, as a map or diagram.
a plan of the dock area.
(in perspective drawing) one of several planes in front of a represented object, and perpendicular to the line between the object and the eye.
a formal program for specified benefits, needs, etc..
a pension plan.
a detailed scheme, method, etc, for attaining an objective
(sometimes plural) a proposed, usually tentative idea for doing something
a drawing to scale of a horizontal section through a building taken at a given level; a view from above an object or an area in orthographic projection Compare ground plan elevation
an outline, sketch, etc
(in perspective drawing) any of several imaginary planes perpendicular to the line of vision and between the eye and object depicted
to form a plan (for) or make plans (for)
(tr) to make a plan of (a building)
(tr; takes a clause as object or an infinitive) to have in mind as a purpose; intend
What is a basic definition of plan? A plan is a program or method prepared ahead of time, a project or definite purpose, or a design or drawing of something. Plan has several other senses as a noun and a verb. When you come up with a plan, you are creating a method or scheme to do something, make something, or take another kind of action, like a plan for getting your homework done. If someone does something without thinking about what to do, how to do it, and when to do it, they don’t have a plan. A plan doesn’t have to be written down, though. It may only exist in your mind. A person who comes up with a plan is a planner.
Plan, project, design, scheme imply a formulated method of doing something. Plan refers to any method of thinking out acts and purposes beforehand: What are your plans for today? A project is a proposed or tentative plan, often elaborate or extensive: an irrigation project. Design suggests art, dexterity, or craft (sometimes evil and selfish) in the elaboration or execution of a plan, and often tends to emphasize the purpose in view: a misunderstanding brought about by design. A scheme is apt to be either a speculative, possibly impracticable, plan, or a selfish or dishonest one: a scheme to swindle someone.
First recorded in 1670–80; from French: “ground, plan, groundwork, scheme,” noun use of the adjective: “flat” ( see plane 1), a learned borrowing of Latin plānus “level” ( cf. plain 1)
Do you have an idea of what you want and have thought carefully and in detail about how to get it? Then you have a plan, a series of actions required to achieve a particular goal. A plan can exist only in your head, or it can be a physical object, such as an architectural plan of a building, showing how you propose to build it. As a verb, plan means the act of thinking about how to achieve your aims. You might plan to apply to colleges soon. When you plan something, you're laying the seeds for a future result, so it's not surprising that plan comes from the early English word plante, meaning "seedling."
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If any foreign leaders plan to attend the event, their names haven’t been announced.
From Slate • May 9, 2026
A plan for another film studios in Holyport was rejected by the Planning Inspectorate last year.
From BBC • May 9, 2026
While some might think signing Bauer might be a risky move for an MLB organization, Bauer feels his plan is foolproof in that regard.
From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026
Trump’s plan isn’t yet final and could change.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
Seemed like Dad’s plan to show up Eugene Hammond had backfired on us all.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
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.
