delineate
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de·lin·e·ate
(dĭ-lĭn′ē-āt′)tr.v. de·lin·e·at·ed, de·lin·e·at·ing, de·lin·e·ates
1.
a. To draw or depict: "In black and white wash, he delineated the gnarled roots of a tree" (Sally Holmes Holtze).
b. To describe or characterize in words: "the specter of the bored and isolated housewife, which Friedan delineated so brilliantly" (Mary V. Dearborn).
2.
a. To mark, form, or show the outline or border of: The police delineated the crime scene with yellow tape. A hedge delineates one plot of land from the other.
b. To establish the position of (a border): The treaty delineates the border between Spanish and American territory.
c. To show or contain a distinguishing characteristic of; distinguish: "The first game ... delineated the differences between the two teams" (Stuart Miller).
[Latin dēlīneāre, dēlīneāt- : dē-, de- + līnea, line, thread; see line1.]
de·lin′e·a′tion n.
de·lin′e·a′tive adj.
de·lin′e·a′tor n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
delineate
(dɪˈlɪnɪˌeɪt)vb (tr)
1. to trace the shape or outline of; sketch
2. to represent pictorially, as by making a chart or diagram; depict
3. to portray in words, esp with detail and precision; describe
[C16: from Latin dēlīneāre to sketch out, from līnea line1]
deˈlineable adj
deˌlineˈation n
deˈlineative adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
de•lin•e•ate
(dɪˈlɪn iˌeɪt)v.t. -at•ed, -at•ing.
1. to trace the outline of; represent pictorially.
2. to portray in words; describe with precision.
[1550–60; < Latin dēlīneātus, past participle of dēlīneāre=dē- de- + līneāre to mark with lines]
de•lin′e•a•ble (-ə bəl) adj.
de•lin′e•a`tor, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
delineate
Past participle: delineated
Gerund: delineating
| Imperative |
|---|
| delineate |
| delineate |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Verb | 1. | delineate - show the form or outline of; "The tree was clearly defined by the light"; "The camera could define the smallest object" show - make visible or noticeable; "She showed her talent for cooking"; "Show me your etchings, please" |
| 2. | delineate - determine the essential quality of determine - fix in scope; fix the boundaries of; "the tree determines the border of the property" be - have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun); "John is rich"; "This is not a good answer" redefine - give a new or different definition to; "She redefined his duties" | |
| 3. | delineate - trace the shape of lipstick - form by tracing with lipstick; "The clown had lipsticked circles on his cheeks" contour - form the contours of draw - represent by making a drawing of, as with a pencil, chalk, etc. on a surface; "She drew an elephant"; "Draw me a horse" | |
| 4. |  delineate - make a mark or lines on a surface; "draw a line"; "trace the outline of a figure in the sand"mark - make or leave a mark on; "the scouts marked the trail"; "ash marked the believers' foreheads" construct - draw with suitable instruments and under specified conditions; "construct an equilateral triangle" inscribe - draw within a figure so as to touch in as many places as possible circumscribe - draw a line around; "He drew a circle around the points" circumscribe - to draw a geometric figure around another figure so that the two are in contact but do not intersect draw - engage in drawing; "He spent the day drawing in the garden" draw - represent by making a drawing of, as with a pencil, chalk, etc. on a surface; "She drew an elephant"; "Draw me a horse" write - mark or trace on a surface; "The artist wrote Chinese characters on a big piece of white paper"; "Russian is written with the Cyrillic alphabet" | |
| 5. | delineate - describe in vivid detail | |
| Adj. | 1. | delineate - represented accurately or precisely |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
delineate
verb
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
delineate
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
delineate
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995