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scheme

 - 7 dictionary results

scheme

  [skeem] noun, verb, schemed, schem⋅ing.
Use scheme in a Sentence
–noun
1. a plan, design, or program of action to be followed; project.
2. an underhand plot; intrigue.
3. a visionary or impractical project.
4. a body or system of related doctrines, theories, etc.: a scheme of philosophy.
5. any system of correlated things, parts, etc., or the manner of its arrangement.
6. a plan, program, or policy officially adopted and followed, as by a government or business: The company's pension scheme is very successful.
7. an analytical or tabular statement.
8. a diagram, map, or the like.
9. an astrological diagram of the heavens.
–verb (used with object)
10. to devise as a scheme; plan; plot; contrive.
–verb (used without object)
11. to lay schemes; devise plans; plot.
Origin:
1545–55; < ML schēma (s. schēmat-) < Gk schêma form, figure

Related forms:
schemeless, adjective
schemer, noun

Synonyms:
1, 6. See plan. 2. stratagem, cabal, conspiracy. 5. pattern, schema. 10. See plot 1 .
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To scheme
scheme   (skēm)   
n.  

  1. A systematic plan of action: "Did you ever carry out your scheme of writing a series of sonnets embodying all the great epochs of art?" (Edith Wharton).

  2. A secret or devious plan; a plot. See Synonyms at plan.

  3. An orderly combination of related parts: an irrigation scheme with dams, reservoirs, and channels.

  4. A chart, diagram, or outline of a system or object.

v.   schemed, schem·ing, schemes

v.   tr.

  1. To plot: scheming their revenge.

  2. To contrive a plan or scheme for.

v.   intr.
To make plans, especially secret or devious ones.

[Latin schēma, figure, from Greek skhēma; see segh- in Indo-European roots.]
schem'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

scheme  (n.)
1553, "figure of speech," from M.L. schema "shape, figure, form, figure of speech," from Gk. skhema (gen. skhematos) "figure, appearance, the nature of a thing," related to skhein "to get," and ekhein "to have," from PIE base *segh- "to hold, to hold in one's power, to have" (cf. Skt. sahate "he masters," sahah "power, victory;" Avestan hazah "power, victory;" Gk. ekhein "to have, hold;" Goth. sigis, O.H.G. sigu, O.N. sigr, O.E. sige "victory"). The sense "program of action" first is attested 1647. Unfavorable overtones (selfish, devious) began to creep in early 18c. The verb, in the sense of "devise a scheme," was first recorded 1767. Color scheme is attested from 1884.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: scheme
Function: noun
1 : a combination of elements (as statutes or regulations) that are connected, adjusted, and integrated by design : a systematic plan or program scheme>
2 : a crafty, unethical, or fraudulent project scheme to defraud investors>
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: scheme
Pronunciation: 'skEm
Function: noun
: SCHEMA
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Computing Dictionary

Scheme programming
(Originally "Schemer", by analogy with Planner and Conniver). A small, uniform Lisp dialect with clean semantics, developed initially by Guy Steele and Gerald Sussman in 1975. Scheme uses applicative order reduction and lexical scope. It treats both functions and continuations as first-class objects.
One of the most used implementations is DrScheme, others include Bigloo, Elk, Liar, Orbit, Scheme86 (Indiana U), SCM, MacScheme (Semantic Microsystems), PC Scheme (TI), MIT Scheme, and T.
See also Kamin's interpreters, PSD, PseudoScheme, Schematik, Scheme Repository, STk, syntax-case, Tiny Clos, Paradigms of AI Programming.
There have been a series of revisions of the report defining Scheme, known as RRS (Revised Report on Scheme), R2RS (Revised Revised Report ..), R3RS, R3.99RS, R4RS.
Scheme resources.
Mailing list: scheme@mc.lcs.mit.edu.
[IEEE P1178-1990, "IEEE Standard for the Scheme Programming Language", ISBN 1-55937-125-0].
(2003-09-14)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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Idioms & Phrases

scheme

see best-laid plans (schemes).

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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