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outline

[out-lahyn]

noun

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

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

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.

outlines, the essential features or main aspects of something under discussion: At the first meeting, we gave her only the outlines of the project.

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

verb (used with object)

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

to give an outline of; sketch the main features of: On the first day, the professor just outlined the course for us.

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Outline is one of our favorite verbs.

So is kibitz. Does it mean:

to swindle, cheat, hoodwink, or hoax.

chat, to converse

LEARN MORE FUN, UNUSUAL VERBS WITH WORD DYNAMO...

Origin:
1655–65; out- + line¹

Related forms

pre·out·line, noun, verb (used with object), -lined, -lin·ing.

re·out·line, verb (used with object), -lined, -lin·ing.

well-out·lined, adjective

Synonyms
1. See form. 3. plan, draft, rough, synopsis, summary. 6, 7. delineate, draft.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To outline

Example Sentences

Bring brief handouts that outline your plan for the hour.

Scheduled events such as these give an outline of the global agenda.

Customize black-and-white outline maps in greater detail than ever before.

EXPAND

Bring brief handouts that outline your plan for the hour.

Scheduled events such as these give an outline of the global agenda.

Customize black-and-white outline maps in greater detail than ever before.

The senatorial trio reportedly shared an eight-page outline of their proposal with industrial leaders twice this week.

Despite these complexities, however, scientists do have a broad outline of early primate evolution.

Smooth your surface, remove weeds, and outline the edges.

If you find keeping to your outline difficult, it may work best for you to let the outline go.

The goal of a proposal is not that it should outline your future dissertation.

The outline of this week's agreement was already known.

Have them draw the outline of a beluga whale, or let them trace a printout of one of the pictures above.

We could use a single sensor to look at the three-dimensional outline of a target or object of interest.

Humphrey used a negative-stain technique-basically a form of backlighting-to outline the material.

With a sharp knife, trim away the excess baby's tears beyond the outline.

The cloud would outline your skin, delineate your lungs, trace your digestive tract.

In the days that followed, the rough outline of his biography was recounted in newspapers around the world.

It is also an outline of his philosophy of government.

Have students make their own state maps by drawing the outline of their state from scratch.

Some authors send us an outline in addition to their letter but that is generally not required.

Then they took a drawing outline of their foot and had to turn it into something artistic.

With that free stake, pull the string taut and trace the patio's outline in the soil as you walk around the center stake.

In recent years, however, scientists have begun to outline the surprising benefits of not paying attention.

He also plans to convene a commission to further examine the issues and outline recommendations.

Give students blank world outline maps and ask them to illustrate the maps with things they have learned about the polar regions.

The transferred outline of the friction ridges is what is known as a latent print.

Stakes outline where the pool spa and planting beds will go.

Hit it a final time, and they'll only show the outline of what's radiating with thermal energy.

Sea levels rose rapidly, and the continents achieved their present-day outline.

Here is the outline of the unified understanding of physics.

It may require pruning from time to time to maintain a pleasingly symmetrical outline.

He noted that the browning reveals the outline of the battery.

Decide if you want a blank outline map or detailed information, then print out black-and-white maps directly from the site.

Some gardeners, after scraping the ground bare, outline structures and plantings in the soil.

The outline of the continent is faintly traced in the image for reference.

The letter should explain and outline the proposed story idea, and suggest an appropriate month or season.

Center the cutout circle over each pot and trace its outline.

Verbatim excerpts from the outline would require extensive explanations.

The underlying motive is that the government discerns the outline of a new kind of industrial strategy.

Here is a broad outline of what experts know, surmise or suspect, based on.

Give each student a blank world outline map and ask them.

Laidre could see its outline in the water and smell its sour.

Write the name of each room or area inside its outline.

Rather, it should outline one possible dissertation, and do so plausibly.

Those hoping that the report would outline steps to avert a similar crash were disappointed.

Neither color, nor expression, nor outline do or can possibly find entrance.

The articles outline a number of ways medical schools can and, the authors argue, should step up their geriatric training.

Most directors gave him merely a script and an outline.

Have them list the boundaries on their own paper and label them on their blank outline maps.

He goes on to outline a rough, multi-point list of suggested changes of the patent process.

Details of his design have not been made public but the outline is causing concern.

They outline the experiment in a paper posted to the arXiv pre-print server.

Outline it to friends over a few drinks and see if they get.

Some need to outline concepts on paper, others go straight to computer.

Students should put the data for the single year on the outline map.

The final result is an outline of silver along the fingerprint's ridges.

Most regional newspapers outline the last meal request in every execution notice.

Out of the fog of uncertainty over the economics of climate change, the outline of a few conclusions emerges.

Print state outline maps and draw or add photographs of places that were, and are, influenced by physical processes.

Please repeat the article with some actual data and an outline of how it was collected.

ET during which he was expected to outline the agency's approach.

The outline is designed as an opportunity for students to receive my feedback with enough time to adjust their debate.

The broad outline is plain but the detail is guesswork.

Show the students an outline map of the world as well as a globe, and ask them to identify the areas that are covered with water.

As the blastema grows, it begins to form the outline of the new limb, including the tip that will become the foot.

The new policy does not yet outline proper uses for reference to race, religion and nationality.

So hu using your outline is not so out of the ordinary.

So far, he has not offered even an outline of how he intends to do so.

Ask students to use two different colors to outline or fill in the opposing sides on their maps.

The original article gives the basic outline of the standard response to the question.

The next task is to use this paragraph to develop a basic chapter outline.

The rough outline of how this might be done is emerging.

Ask them to identify the areas that are covered with water, and then to label those areas on their own outline maps of the world.

Could you also please outline the way in which the sampoles were selected to create a correlation.

Gathering tools or reference materials is cool, but don't show up with an outline.

Take notes as you are questioned and briefly outline your responses.

Dig deeper, though, and the outline of a confined proprietary system seems to lurk menacingly in the shadows.

Arrange orientation so that sunlight backlights the bug, highlighting its outline.

Here is a remedial outline showing how to explain climate change to the layperson and make it stick.

Clearly outline a coherent, sustainable, and potentially fundable research program.

But the outline of his programme, and his team, is already fairly clear.

Next, download a state/county outline map for your state from: http://wwwcensusgov/geo/www/maps/stco_02htm iii.

The lyrics clearly outline how individuals in monogamous relationships do mate outside of the pair bond.

The puzzles pieces are to the left, with a black and white outline of a picture on the right.

One thing not to do is to outline what a leadership philosophy is.

Shape the dough into the outline of a wide heart on an ungreased, foil-covered baking sheet.

Erasmus adds in his letter, the course outline might lead to some misunderstandings, so he wants only his friend to see it.

Much of the account may be familiar in its broad outline to readers of this newspaper.

Make sure each partner has a chance to create his or her own outline.

It would take an article to outline the consequences of this mounting debt.

I've tried to outline some of the flaws of the statistics on unemployment, but there are many more.

They'll have to save the larger plastic outline to use as an adapter to make the cards work with their iPhones.

One trick that might help is to have students write out an outline of an article.

He is an unusual mathematician who wrote the outline of the proof.

They felt it more important to outline broad objectives that might influence research funding and governmental policy.

The following will outline some of the key features to look for in today's processors.

COLLAPSE

Collins

World English Dictionary

outline (ˈaʊtˌlaɪn)

—n
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.	a. a drawing or manner of drawing consisting only of external lines
	b. (as modifier): an outline map

—vb
5.	to draw or display the outline of
6.	to give the main features or general idea of

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

outline

1662, "lines by which a figure is delineated," from out + line (v.). Meaning "rough draft in words" is from 1759. The verb is first attested 1790.

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