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View synonyms for

plot

[ plot ]

noun

  1. a secret plan or scheme to accomplish some purpose, especially a hostile, unlawful, or evil purpose:

    a plot to overthrow the government.

    Synonyms: ,

  2. Also called storyline. the plan, scheme, or main story of a literary or dramatic work, as a play, novel, or short story.
  3. a small piece or area of ground:

    a garden plot;

    burial plot.

  4. a measured piece or parcel of land:

    a house on a two-acre plot.

  5. a plan, map, diagram, or other graphic representation, as of land, a building, etc.
  6. a list, timetable, or scheme dealing with any of the various arrangements for the production of a play, motion picture, etc.:

    According to the property plot, there should be a lamp stage left.

  7. a chart showing the course of a craft, as a ship or airplane.
  8. Artillery. a point or points located on a map or chart:

    target plot.



verb (used with object)

plotted, plotting.
  1. to plan secretly, especially something hostile or evil:

    to plot mutiny.

    Synonyms: , ,

  2. to mark on a plan, map, or chart, as the course of a ship or aircraft.
  3. to draw a plan or map of, as a tract of land or a building.
  4. to divide (land) into plots.
  5. to determine and mark (points), as on plotting paper, by means of measurements or coordinates.
  6. to draw (a curve) by means of points so marked.
  7. to represent by means of such a curve.
  8. to devise or construct the plot of (a play, novel, etc.).
  9. to prepare a list, timetable, or scheme of (production arrangements), as for a play or motion picture:

    The stage manager hadn't plotted the set changes until one day before the dress rehearsal.

  10. to make (a calculation) by graph.

verb (used without object)

plotted, plotting.
  1. to plan or scheme secretly; form a plot; conspire.
  2. to devise or develop a literary or dramatic plot.
  3. to be marked or located by means of measurements or coordinates, as on plotting paper.

plot

1

/ ɒ /

noun

  1. a secret plan to achieve some purpose, esp one that is illegal or underhand

    a plot to overthrow the government

  2. the story or plan of a play, novel, etc
  3. military a graphic representation of an individual or tactical setting that pinpoints an artillery target
  4. a diagram or plan, esp a surveyor's map
  5. lose the plot informal.
    to lose one's ability or judgment in a given situation
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to plan secretly (something illegal, revolutionary, etc); conspire
  2. tr to mark (a course, as of a ship or aircraft) on a map
  3. tr to make a plan or map of
    1. to locate and mark (one or more points) on a graph by means of coordinates
    2. to draw (a curve) through these points
  4. tr to construct the plot of (a literary work)
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

plot

2

/ ɒ /

noun

  1. a small piece of land

    a vegetable plot

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. tr to arrange or divide (land) into plots
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

plot

  1. The organization of events in a work of fiction .
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Other Word Forms

  • dz·ڳܱ adjective
  • dz· adjective
  • dz··ness noun
  • dzܳ·dz verb (used with object) outplotted outplotting
  • ··dz verb overplotted overplotting
  • ·dz verb (used with object) preplotted preplotting
  • ·dz verb (used with object) replotted replotting
  • ܲ·dz·ٱ adjective
  • ܲ·dz·پԲ adjective
  • ɱ-dz·ٱ adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of plot1

First recorded before 1100; the noun has multiple origins: in the sense “piece of ground,” Middle English: “small area, patch, stain, piece of ground,” Old English: “piece of ground” (origin obscure); in the senses “ground plan, outline, map, scheme,” variant (since the 16th century) of plat 1, itself partly a variant of Middle English, Old English plot; in the sense “secret plan” (from the 16th century), by association with complot; the verb is derivative of the noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of plot1

C16: from plot ², influenced in use by complot

Origin of plot2

Old English: piece of land, plan of an area
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Synonym Study

See conspiracy. Plot, conspire, scheme imply secret, cunning, and often unscrupulous planning to gain one's own ends. To plot is to contrive a secret plan of a selfish and often treasonable kind: to plot against someone's life. To conspire is to unite with others in an illicit or illegal machination: to conspire to seize a government. To scheme is to plan ingeniously, subtly, and often craftily for one's own advantage: to scheme how to gain power.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

After he won the presidency in 1968, Nixon spent hours plotting revenge against his enemies.

From

In fact, "Sinners" unapologetically teaches Black history within its plot, and viewers responded with a box office take of $48 million.

From

We plotted three of the killings on a 3D reconstruction of Kenya's parliament, allowing us to trace the fatal shots back to the rifles of a police officer and a soldier.

From

His arrival for his son's bout with Conor Benn on Saturday night was a scene worthy of any soap opera plot twist.

From

According to the program notes that accompanied the film’s Whitney premiere, Burnett sought to “try to recreate a situation without reducing life to a simple plot.”

From

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