design
pronunciation
How to pronounce design in British English:
UK [dɪˈzaɪn]
How to pronounce design in American English:
US [dɪˈzaɪn]
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- Noun:
- the act of working out the form of something (as by making a sketch or outline or plan)
- an arrangement scheme
- something intended as a guide for making something else
- a decorative or artistic work
- an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
- a preliminary sketch indicating the plan for something
- the creation of something in the mind
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- Verb:
- make or work out a plan for; devise
- design something for a specific role or purpose or effect
- create the design for; create or execute in an artistic or highly skilled manner
- make a design of; plan out in systematic, often graphic form
- create designs
- conceive or fashion in the mind; invent
- intend or have as a purpose
Word Origin
- design
- design: [16] The semantic history of design is a little complicated. It comes ultimately from the past participle of Latin dēsignāre ‘mark out’ (source also of English designate [15]), a compound verb formed from the prefix dē- ‘out’ and signāre ‘mark’, a derivative of signum ‘sign’. But English acquired it largely via French, in which a three-way split of form and meaning had taken place.In both respects désigner ‘point out, denote’ remains closest to the original Latin, but this use of the word has now died out in English, having been taken over by designate. This has left the field open to the metaphorical use ‘plan’, represented in French on the one hand by dessein ‘purpose, intention’ and on the other by dessin ‘pattern, drawing’ and its related verb dessiner.They represent the two main areas of meaning covered by the word in modern English, although English has stuck to the more latinate spelling.=> designate, sign
- design (v.)
- 1540s, from Latin designare "mark out, devise, choose, designate, appoint," from de- "out" (see de-) + signare "to mark," from signum "a mark, sign" (see sign (n.)). Originally in English with the meaning now attached to designate; many modern uses of design are metaphoric extensions. Related: Designed; designing.
- design (n.)
- 1580s, from Middle French desseign "purpose, project, design," from Italian disegno, from disegnare "to mark out," from Latin designare "to mark out" (see design (v.)).
Example
- 1. They will help design your products .
- 2. Copy a design , such as two intersecting pentagons .
- 3. I like the design of the coat .
- 4. A hidden design was finally emerging .
- 5. However well governments design their policies , unemployment is going to rise sharply , for some time .