English
plot
Etymology

From Middle English plot, plotte, from Old English plot, from Proto-Germanic *plataz, *platjaz ("a patch"), of uncertain origin.

Pronunciation Noun

plot (plural plots)

  1. (narratology) The course of a story, comprising a series of incidents which are gradually unfolded, sometimes by unexpected means. [from 1640s]
    Synonyms: storyline
    • c. 1725, Alexander Pope, View of the Epic Poem:
      If the plot or intrigue must be natural, and such as springs from the subject, then the winding up of the plot must be a probable consequence of all that went before.
  2. An area or land used for building on or planting on. [from 1550s]
    Synonyms: parcel
  3. A grave.
    He's buried in the family plot.
  4. A graph or diagram drawn by hand or produced by a mechanical or electronic device.
    • 2017, Mark Chambers, Tony Holmes, Nakajima B5N ‘Kate’ and B6N ‘Jill’ Units, page 32:
      I was told to fly out on a vector of 100 degrees to meet a strong plot of aircraft 30 miles from the coast.
  5. A secret plan to achieve an end, the end or means usually being illegal or otherwise questionable. [from 1580s]
    Synonyms: conspiracy, scheme
    The plot would have enabled them to get a majority on the board.
    The assassination of Lincoln was part of a larger plot.
    • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene vi]:
      I have o'erheard a plot of death.
    • 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC ↗, Act I, scene i, page 1 ↗:
      O, think what anxious moments pass between / The birth of plots and their last fatal periods!
  6. Contrivance; deep reach thought; ability to plot or intrigue.
    • a. 1669, John Denham, On Mr Thomas Killigrew's Return from Venice, and Mr William Murrey's from Scotland:
      a man of much plot
  7. Participation in any stratagem or conspiracy.
    • 1644, J[ohn] M[ilton], The Doctrine or Discipline of Divorce: […], 2nd edition, London: [s.n.], →OCLC ↗, book:
      And when Christ saith, Who marries the divorced commits adultery, it is to be understood, if he had any plot in the divorce.
  8. A plan; a purpose.
    • 1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC ↗:
      no other plot in their religion but serve God and save their souls
  9. (fandom slang, euphemism) Attractive physical attributes of a fictional character; assets.
    Actor X has some great plot near the end of E07.
Translations Translations Translations Translations Verb

plot (plots, present participle plotting; simple past and past participle plotted)

  1. (transitive, intransitive) To conceive (a crime, misdeed etc).
    They had plotted a robbery.
    They were plotting against the king.
  2. (transitive) To trace out (a graph or diagram).
    They plotted the number of edits per day.
  3. (transitive) To mark (a point on a graph, chart, etc).
    Every five minutes they plotted their position.
    • 1602, Richard Carew, Survey on Cornwall:
      This treatise plotteth down Cornwall as it now standeth.
Synonyms Translations Translations Translations Translations

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