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design

 - 6 dictionary results

de⋅sign

  [di-zahyn]
Use design in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to prepare the preliminary sketch or the plans for (a work to be executed), esp. to plan the form and structure of: to design a new bridge.
2. to plan and fashion artistically or skillfully.
3. to intend for a definite purpose: a scholarship designed for foreign students.
4. to form or conceive in the mind; contrive; plan: The prisoner designed an intricate escape.
5. to assign in thought or intention; purpose: He designed to be a doctor.
6. Obsolete. to mark out, as by a sign; indicate.
–verb (used without object)
7. to make drawings, preliminary sketches, or plans.
8. to plan and fashion the form and structure of an object, work of art, decorative scheme, etc.
–noun
9. an outline, sketch, or plan, as of the form and structure of a work of art, an edifice, or a machine to be executed or constructed.
10. organization or structure of formal elements in a work of art; composition.
11. the combination of details or features of a picture, building, etc.; the pattern or motif of artistic work: the design on a bracelet.
12. the art of designing: a school of design.
13. a plan or project: a design for a new process.
14. a plot or intrigue, esp. an underhand, deceitful, or treacherous one: His political rivals formulated a design to unseat him.
15. designs, a hostile or aggressive project or scheme having evil or selfish motives: He had designs on his partner's stock.
16. intention; purpose; end.
17. adaptation of means to a preconceived end.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME designen < L dēsignāre to mark out. See de-, sign

Synonyms:
5. See intend. 13. See plan.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To design
de·sign   (dĭ-zīn')   
v.   de·signed, de·sign·ing, de·signs

v.   tr.
    1. To conceive or fashion in the mind; invent: design a good excuse for not attending the conference.
    2. To formulate a plan for; devise: designed a marketing strategy for the new product.
  2. To plan out in systematic, usually graphic form: design a building; design a computer program.
  3. To create or contrive for a particular purpose or effect: a game designed to appeal to all ages.
  4. To have as a goal or purpose; intend.
  5. To create or execute in an artistic or highly skilled manner.
v.   intr.
  1. To make or execute plans.
  2. To have a goal or purpose in mind.
  3. To create designs.
n.  
    1. A drawing or sketch.
    2. A graphic representation, especially a detailed plan for construction or manufacture.
    3. A reasoned purpose; an intent: It was her design to set up practice on her own as soon as she was qualified.
    4. Deliberate intention: He became a photographer more by accident than by design.
  2. The purposeful or inventive arrangement of parts or details: the aerodynamic design of an automobile; furniture of simple but elegant design.
  3. The art or practice of designing or making designs.
  4. Something designed, especially a decorative or an artistic work.
  5. An ornamental pattern. See Synonyms at figure.
  6. A basic scheme or pattern that affects and controls function or development: the overall design of an epic poem.
  7. A plan; a project. See Synonyms at plan.
    1. A reasoned purpose; an intent: It was her design to set up practice on her own as soon as she was qualified.
    2. Deliberate intention: He became a photographer more by accident than by design.
  9. A secretive plot or scheme. Often used in the plural: He has designs on my job.

[Middle English designen, from Latin dēsignāre, to designate; see designate.]
de·sign'a·ble adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

design 
1548, from L. designare "mark out, devise," from de- "out" + signare "to mark," from signum "a mark, sign." Originally in Eng. with the meaning now attached to designate (1646, from L. designatus, pp. of designare); many modern uses of design are metaphoric extensions. Designer (adj.) in the fashion sense of "prestigious" is first recorded 1966; designer drug is from 1983. Designing "scheming" is from 1671. Designated hitter introduced in American League baseball in 1973, soon giving wide figurative extension to designated.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: de·sign
Pronunciation: di-'zIn
Function: noun
: a plan or protocol for carrying out or accomplishing something (especially a scientificexperiment); also : the process of preparing this —design transitive verb
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Computing Dictionary

design process
The approach that engineering (and some other) disciplines use to specify how to create or do something. A successful design must satisfies a (perhaps informal) functional specification (do what it was designed to do); conforms to the limitations of the target medium (it is possible to implement); meets implicit or explicit requirements on performance and resource usage (it is efficient enough).
A design may also have to satisfy restrictions on the design process itself, such as its length or cost, or the tools available for doing the design.
In the software life-cycle, design follows requirements analysis and is followed by implementation.
["Object-Oriented Analysis and Design with Applications", 2nd ed., Grady Booch].
(1996-12-08)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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Idioms & Phrases

design

see by design; have designs on.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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