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⇱ plot - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

plot

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈplɒt/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/plɑt/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(plot)

Inflections of 'plot' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
plots
v 3rd person singular
plotting
v pres p
plotted
v past
plotted
v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
plot /plɑt/USA pronunciation   n., v., plot•ted, plot•ting. 
n. [countable]
  1. a secret plan to accomplish some purpose:a plot to overthrow the government.
  2. Literaturethe main story of a piece of writing, as a novel or movie:The plot is interesting but the characters are boring.
  3. a small piece of ground:a garden plot.

v. 
  1. to plan secretly: [~ + object]The terrorists were plotting an assassination.[~ + to + verb]The terrorists were plotting to assassinate the Pope.[no object]The king didn't know who was plotting against him.
  2. Nautical, Naval Terms[~ + object] to mark on a plan, chart, or graph, as the course of a ship or aircraft.
  3. to make (a calculation) by graph:[~ + object]His graph plots the losses we expect if the recession continues.
plot•ter, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
plot  (plot),USA pronunciation n., v., plot•ted, plot•ting. 
n. 
  1. a secret plan or scheme to accomplish some purpose, esp. a hostile, unlawful, or evil purpose:a plot to overthrow the government.
  2. LiteratureAlso called storyline. the plan, scheme, or main story of a literary or dramatic work, as a play, novel, or short story.
  3. a small piece or area of ground:a garden plot; burial plot.
  4. a measured piece or parcel of land:a house on a two-acre plot.
  5. a plan, map, diagram, or other graphic representation, as of land, a building, etc.
  6. Show Businessa list, timetable, or scheme dealing with any of the various arrangements for the production of a play, motion picture, etc.:According to the property plot, there should be a lamp stage left.
  7. Nautical, Naval Termsa chart showing the course of a craft, as a ship or airplane.
  8. Military[Artillery.]a point or points located on a map or chart:target plot.

v.t. 
  1. to plan secretly, esp. something hostile or evil:to plot mutiny.
  2. Nautical, Naval Termsto mark on a plan, map, or chart, as the course of a ship or aircraft.
  3. to draw a plan or map of, as a tract of land or a building.
  4. to divide (land) into plots.
  5. Mathematicsto determine and mark (points), as on plotting paper, by means of measurements or coordinates.
  6. Mathematicsto draw (a curve) by means of points so marked.
  7. Mathematicsto represent by means of such a curve.
  8. Literatureto devise or construct the plot of (a play, novel, etc.).
  9. Show Businessto prepare a list, timetable, or scheme of (production arrangements), as for a play or motion picture:The stage manager hadn't plotted the set changes until one day before the dress rehearsal.
  10. Mathematicsto make (a calculation) by graph.

v.i. 
  1. to plan or scheme secretly;
    form a plot;
    conspire.
  2. Literature, Show Businessto devise or develop a literary or dramatic plot.
  3. Mathematicsto be marked or located by means of measurements or coordinates, as on plotting paper.
  • bef. 1100; (noun, nominal) of multiple origin, originally: in sense "piece of ground,'' Middle English: small area, patch, stain, piece of ground, Old English: piece of ground (origin, originally obscure); in senses "ground plan, outline, map, scheme,'' variant (since the 16th century) of plat1, itself partly a variant of Middle English, Old English plot; sense "secret plan'' (from 16th century) by association with complot, in pejorative sense; (verb, verbal) derivative of the noun, nominal
plot′ful, adj. 
plot′less, adj. 
plot′less•ness, n. 
    1. intrigue, cabal. See conspiracy. 9. brew, hatch, frame. 19. Plot, conspire, scheme imply secret, cunning, and often unscrupulous planning to gain one's own ends. To plot is to contrive a secret plan of a selfish and often treasonable kind:to plot against someone's life.To conspire is to unite with others in an illicit or illegal machination:to conspire to seize agovernment. To scheme is to plan ingeniously, subtly, and often craftily for one's own advantage:to scheme how to gain power.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
plot /plɒt/ n
  1. a secret plan to achieve some purpose, esp one that is illegal or underhand
  2. the story or plan of a play, novel, etc
  3. a graphic representation of an individual or tactical setting that pinpoints an artillery target
  4. chiefly US a diagram or plan, esp a surveyor's map
  5. lose the plot ⇒ informal to lose one's ability or judgment in a given situation
 vb (plots, plotting, plotted)
  1. to plan secretly (something illegal, revolutionary, etc); conspire
  2. (transitive) to mark (a course, as of a ship or aircraft) on a map
  3. (transitive) to make a plan or map of
    • to locate and mark (one or more points) on a graph by means of coordinates
    • to draw (a curve) through these points
  5. (transitive) to construct the plot of (a literary work)
Etymology: 16th Century: from plot2, influenced in use by complot
plot /plɒt/ n
  1. a small piece of land: a vegetable plot
Etymology: Old English: piece of land, plan of an area
'plot' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: a [futuristic, rural, 19th-century, war] plot, plot the [points, values, data, information], a plot twist, more...

🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "plot" in the title:

'plot', 'story', 'storyline' in reference to paintings
80-years-spanning or 80-year-spanning plot?
a delightful plot
a plot of all data;to plot the data
A plot that evolves along that which is not done
a plot to antler
a plot to overtake the agriculture industry
A plot twist worthy of Thomas Hardy
a pretty plot for fairy tales.
A term for an unrealistic, complicated plot
a tiny plot of grass
abductor plot (wheelchair)
along with the video/along with the plot development of the video
anxiety results from the authors withhold the plot details
buildings on three-plot site
Can "plot" intensify? + comes to and end/gets to its end
cartoon with an easy-going/calm/quiet plot?
creaking plot
dangler [plot-line left to "dangle"]
easy enough plot (hyphen?)
elaborate a key concept or plot twist
five tons' steel, the novel's plot, the film's significance
Foreshadow-Anticipation of plot
garden away from house [allotment / garden plot]
generous land plot
grape garden/grapes' garden [plot, farm ]
he had put enough by to consider applying for a little allotment plot
He was too much of a dog to try to look to be a martyr or to plot revenge.
"How does the plot advance by this scene?"
How to effectively describe the behaviour of a plot?
more...

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