plot
pronunciation
How to pronounce plot in British English:
UK [plɒt]
How to pronounce plot in American English:
US [plɑːt]
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- Noun:
- a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal)
- a small area of ground covered by specific vegetation
- the story that is told in a novel or play or movie etc.
- a chart or map showing the movements or progress of an object
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- Verb:
- plan secretly, usually something illegal
- make a schematic or technical drawing of that shows how things work or how they are constructed
- make a plat of
Word Origin
- plot
- plot: [11] Two separate and unrelated words have come together to form modern English plot. The earlier was late Old English plot, a term of unknown origin which denoted ‘area of ground’ (as in a ‘plot of land’). This subsequently developed to ‘ground plan’ and ‘diagram’, which formed the basis of ‘set of events in a story’ (first recorded in the 17th century). The other ancestor was Old French complot ‘secret scheme’ (also of unknown origin), which was originally borrowed into English in the 16th century as complot, but soon lost its prefix com-, no doubt under the influence of the already existing noun plot.
- plot (v.)
- 1580s, "to lay plans for" (usually with evil intent); 1590s in the literal sense of "to make a map or diagram," from plot (n.). Related: Plotted; plotter; plotting.
- plot (n.)
- Old English plot "small piece of ground," of unknown origin. Sense of "ground plan," and thus "map, chart" is 1550s; that of "a secret, plan, scheme" is 1580s, probably by accidental similarity to complot, from Old French complot "combined plan," of unknown origin, perhaps a back-formation from compeloter "to roll into a ball," from pelote "ball." Meaning "set of events in a story" is from 1640s. Plot-line (n.) attested from 1957.
Example
- 1. Many germans detect a plot to nobble their exporters .
- 2. The double plot unfolds in cunningly but tenuously linked chapters .
- 3. There are even rumours of a plot to oust him sooner .
- 4. But I 'm betting on some more plot twists .
- 5. Of course , it always was an iffy kind of plot .