Definition of the word plot

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This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.

This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.

noun

a secret plan or scheme to accomplish some purpose, especially a hostile, unlawful, or evil purpose: a plot to overthrow the government.

Also called storyline. the plan, scheme, or main story of a literary or dramatic work, as a play, novel, or short story.

a small piece or area of ground: a garden plot; burial plot.

a measured piece or parcel of land: a house on a two-acre plot.

a plan, map, diagram, or other graphic representation, as of land, a building, etc.

a 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.

a chart showing the course of a craft, as a ship or airplane.

Artillery. a point or points located on a map or chart: target plot.

verb (used with object), plot·ted, plot·ting.

to plan secretly, especially something hostile or evil: to plot mutiny.

to mark on a plan, map, or chart, as the course of a ship or aircraft.

to draw a plan or map of, as a tract of land or a building.

to divide (land) into plots.

to determine and mark (points), as on plotting paper, by means of measurements or coordinates.

to draw (a curve) by means of points so marked.

to represent by means of such a curve.

to devise or construct the plot of (a play, novel, etc.).

to 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.

to make (a calculation) by graph.

verb (used without object), plot·ted, plot·ting.

to plan or scheme secretly; form a plot; conspire.

to devise or develop a literary or dramatic plot.

to be marked or located by means of measurements or coordinates, as on plotting paper.

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Origin of plot

First recorded before 1100; the noun has multiple origins: in the sense “piece of ground,” Middle English: “small area, patch, stain, piece of ground,” Old English: “piece of ground” (origin obscure); in the senses “ground plan, outline, map, scheme,” variant (since the 16th century) of plat1, itself partly a variant of Middle English, Old English plot; in the sense “secret plan” (from the 16th century), by association with complot; the verb is derivative of the noun

synonym study for plot

1. See conspiracy. 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 a government. To scheme is to plan ingeniously, subtly, and often craftily for one’s own advantage: to scheme how to gain power.

historical usage of plot

The word plot has no known origin and exists solely in English. The noun dates from the late 10th or early 11th century and originally meant “a small piece of land or area of ground.” Plot in the sense “a small piece of land in a cemetery” was originally an Americanism and dates from the mid-19th century.
In the mid-16th century, plot was used to refer to a map, ground plan, sketch, or written outline. At about the same time, it also came to mean “a secret, usually evil plan”; the verb meaning “to plan secretly, devise” comes from that sense of the noun. Plot in the sense “a storyline or main story of a play or novel” dates from the early 17th century.

OTHER WORDS FROM plot

plotful, adjectiveplotless, adjectiveplot·less·ness, nounoutplot, verb (used with object), out·plot·ted, out·plot·ting.

o·ver·plot, verb, o·ver·plot·ted, o·ver·plot·ting.pre·plot, verb (used with object), pre·plot·ted, pre·plot·ting.re·plot, verb (used with object), re·plot·ted, re·plot·ting.un·plot·ted, adjectiveun·plot·ting, adjectivewell-plotted, adjective

Words nearby plot

plonko, plook, plop, plosion, plosive, plot, plot armor, Plotinian, Plotinism, Plotinus, plot line

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to plot

conspiracy, design, maneuver, scam, trick, action, movement, narrative, scenario, scene, scheme, story, structure, theme, land, lot, parcel, piece, conspire, devise

How to use plot in a sentence

  • What followed, prosecutors said, was a criminal plot by his underlings to cyberstalk the couple.

  • Counseling, rehab, a lot of medication, trial and error, quitting drinking, and support from family and friends have essentially kept me here and with the plot.

  • Over subsequent days, the hacker met with the employee multiple times to hash out the plot, unaware that the FBI was listening in.

  • After rejecting all possible sources of error they could think of, the researchers came up with three explanations that would fit the size and shape of the bump in their data plots.

  • And, if you’ve forgotten, here’s the plot summary, as told by Anya Dubner.

  • When communism was a threat, it was construed as a communist plot.

  • But his account of a dissident plot involving Gambian expats using U.S. weapons is similar to what Faal told the FBI.

  • Another member of the plot took care of the ammo along with black uniforms, night-vision equipment, and body armor.

  • They were able to purchase weapons and plot attacks on the island without much interference.

  • The plot was a string of anecdotes from the senseless shootings of friends that Brinsley knew.

  • It was thanks to the discovery of this plot that the Marshal first got information of his enemies’ projected advance.

  • But Magellan learned of their wicked plot in time to defeat them, and he punished them as they deserved.

  • While he grieved over the loss of our little one, you conceived a vile plot to ‘get even,’ Oh, you—liar!

  • It was assuming a great deal to tell a woman that he saw through her plot to disenchant him with a rival.

  • The friends so overacted their part, that Jane immediately saw through the plot.

British Dictionary definitions for plot (1 of 2)

noun

a secret plan to achieve some purpose, esp one that is illegal or underhanda plot to overthrow the government

the story or plan of a play, novel, etc

military a graphic representation of an individual or tactical setting that pinpoints an artillery target

mainly US a diagram or plan, esp a surveyor’s map

lose the plot informal to lose one’s ability or judgment in a given situation

verb plots, plotting or plotted

to plan secretly (something illegal, revolutionary, etc); conspire

(tr) to mark (a course, as of a ship or aircraft) on a map

(tr) to make a plan or map of

  1. to locate and mark (one or more points) on a graph by means of coordinates
  2. to draw (a curve) through these points

(tr) to construct the plot of (a literary work)

Word Origin for plot

C16: from plot ², influenced in use by complot

British Dictionary definitions for plot (2 of 2)

noun

a small piece of landa vegetable plot

verb plots, plotting or plotted

(tr) to arrange or divide (land) into plots

Word Origin for plot

Old English: piece of land, plan of an area

Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for plot

The organization of events in a work of fiction.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Источник

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English plot, plotte, from Old English plot (“a plot of ground”), from Proto-Germanic *plataz, *platjaz (“a patch”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Middle Low German plet (“patch, strip of cloth, rags”), German Bletz (“rags, bits, strip of land”), Gothic 𐍀𐌻𐌰𐍄𐍃 (plats, “a patch, rags”). See also plat. See also complot for an influence on or source of the «secret plan» sense.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /plɒt/
  • (General American) IPA(key): /plɑt/
  • Rhymes: -ɒt

Noun[edit]

plot (plural plots)

  1. (narratology) The course of a story, comprising a series of incidents which are gradually unfolded, sometimes by unexpected means. [from 1640s]
    Synonym: storyline
    • c. 1725, Alexander Pope, View of the Epic Poem

      If the plot or intrigue must be natural, and such as springs from the subject, then the winding up of the plot must be a probable consequence of all that went before.

  2. An area or land used for building on or planting on. [from 1550s]
    Synonym: parcel
  3. A graph or diagram drawn by hand or produced by a mechanical or electronic device.
    • 2017, Mark Chambers, Tony Holmes, Nakajima B5N ‘Kate’ and B6N ‘Jill’ Units (page 32)
      I was told to fly out on a vector of 100 degrees to meet a strong plot of aircraft 30 miles from the coast.
  5. A secret plan to achieve an end, the end or means usually being illegal or otherwise questionable. [from 1580s]
    Synonyms: conspiracy, scheme

    The plot would have enabled them to get a majority on the board.

    The assassination of Lincoln was part of a larger plot.

    • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene vi]:

      I have o’erheard a plot of death.

    • 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 1:

      O, think what anxious moments pass between / The birth of plots and their last fatal periods!

  6. Contrivance; deep reach thought; ability to plot or intrigue.
    • a. 1669, John Denham, On Mr Thomas Killigrew’s Return from Venice, and Mr William Murrey’s from Scotland

      a man of much plot

  7. Participation in any stratagem or conspiracy.
  8. A plan; a purpose.

    • 1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC:

      no other plot in their religion but serve God and save their souls

  9. (Various fandom slang, euphemistic) Attractive physical attributes of characters involved in a story, originating from ironic juxtaposition with the original meaning (course of the story).

    I’m not sure what’s happening in that show, I mainly watch it for the plot.

Derived terms[edit]

  • Gunpowder Plot
  • lose the plot
  • plotless
  • subplot
  • the plot thickens/plot thickens

Translations[edit]

course of a story

  • Arabic: حَبْكَة‎ f (ḥabka)
  • Armenian: սյուժե (hy) (syuže)
  • Belarusian: сюжэ́т m (sjužét), фа́була f (fábula)
  • Bulgarian: сюже́т (bg) m (sjužét), фа́була (bg) f (fábula)
  • Catalan: argument (ca) m, trama (ca) f
  • Chinese:
    Mandarin: 情節／情节 (zh) (qíngjié), (of a film or play) 劇情／剧情 (zh) (jùqíng)
  • Czech: obsah (cs) m, děj (cs) m, syžet m
  • Danish: handling (da) c
  • Dutch: plot m/n, intrige, verhaal n
  • Esperanto: agado (eo)
  • Estonian: süžee, sündmustik
  • Finnish: juoni (fi)
  • French: intrigue (fr) f
  • Georgian: შინაარსი (šinaarsi), სიუჟეტი (siužeṭi)
  • German: Handlung (de) f, Plot (de) m
  • Greek: πλοκή (el) f (plokí)
    Ancient: μῦθος m (mûthos)
  • Hebrew: עֲלִילָה‎ (he) f (‘alilá)
  • Hungarian: történet (hu), cselekmény (hu)
  • Icelandic: ráðabrugg n
  • Indonesian: alur (id)
  • Italian: trama (it) f, ordito (it) m, schema (it) m, canovaccio (it) m, intrigo (it) m
  • Japanese: プロット (purotto), 筋 (ja) (すじ, suji)
  • Korean: 플롯 (peullot) ,구성(構成) (ko) (guseong)
  • Latin: argumentum n
  • Latvian: sižets m
  • Maori: tāhū
  • Norwegian:
    Bokmål: intrige m, plott n, handling (no) m or f
    Nynorsk: intrige m, plott n, handling f
  • Occitan: trama (oc), argument (oc), intriga (oc)
  • Polish: fabuła (pl) f, sjużet m
  • Portuguese: argumento (pt) m, trama (pt), enredo (pt) m, intriga (pt) f
  • Romanian: subiect (ro) n
  • Russian: сюже́т (ru) m (sjužét), фа́була (ru) f (fábula)
  • Scottish Gaelic: gnìomhadh m
  • Slovak: sujet m
  • Sorbian:
    Lower Sorbian: jadnanje n
  • Spanish: argumento (es) m, trama (es) f, hilo argumental m, intriga (es) f
  • Sundanese: galur
  • Swedish: handling (sv) c, intrig (sv) c
  • Thai: โครงเรื่อง (kroong-rʉ̂ʉang)
  • Ukrainian: сюже́т m (sjužét), фа́була (uk) f (fábula)
  • Vietnamese: cốt truyện (vi)

area of land used for building on or planting on

  • Albanian: ngastër (sq) f
  • Armenian: մարգ (hy) (marg), հողատարածք (hy) (hołatarackʿ)
  • Bulgarian: парце́л (bg) m (parcél)
  • Catalan: solar (ca) m (per construir-hi o genèric), marjal m (per plantar-hi), terreny (ca) m
  • Czech: parcela (cs) f
  • Dutch: perceel (nl) n
  • Esperanto: bedo (to plant on), terpeco (to build on)
  • Finnish: tontti (fi) (to build on); palsta (fi) (to plant on)
  • French: lopin (fr) m
  • Galician: parcela (gl) f, predio m, soar (gl) m, formal m, terreo (gl) m
  • Greek: αγροτεμάχιο (el) n (agrotemáchio)
    Ancient: χωρίον n (khōríon), (for planting) πρασιά f (prasiá)
  • Hungarian: földdarab, telek (hu), parcella (hu)
  • Icelandic: reitur (is) m, skiki m, blettur (is) m, lóð f
  • Irish: (planting) ceapach f
  • Italian: lotto (it) m, parcella (it) f, appezzamento (it) m, tratto (it) m, pezzo (it) m
  • Korean: 토지(土地) (ko) (toji)
  • Macedonian: леа f (lea)
  • Maori: ngakinga, pito whenua
  • Polish: działka (pl) f, areał (pl) m, rola (pl) f
  • Portuguese: lote (pt) m
  • Russian: наде́л (ru) m (nadél), деля́нка (ru) f (deljánka), уча́сток (ru) m (učástok)
  • Spanish: plano (es) m, lote (es), solar (es) m
  • Thai: ที่ดิน (th) (tîi-din), แปลง (th) (bplɛɛng)
  • Turkish: arsa (tr)

graph or diagram

  • Bulgarian: гра́фика (bg) f (gráfika), диагра́ма (bg) f (diagráma)
  • Catalan: gràfica f, traçada (ca) f
  • Czech: nákres m, výkres m
  • Dutch: plot (nl), diagram (nl) n, grafiek (nl) m
  • Finnish: kuvio (fi), käyrä (fi)
  • French: diagramme (fr) m, graphique (fr) m
  • German: Ausdruck (de) m (printed), Zeichnung (de) f (drawn)
  • Icelandic: teikning (is) f, graf (is) n
  • Italian: grafico (it) m, diagramma (it) m, planimetria (it) f
  • Korean: 그래프 (ko) (geuraepeu), 도표(圖表) (dopyo)
  • Plautdietsch: Plon m
  • Polish: wykres (pl) m
  • Portuguese: diagrama (pt) m, gráfico (pt) m
  • Russian: гра́фик (ru) m (gráfik), диагра́мма (ru) f (diagrámma)
  • Spanish: gráfica (es) f, diagrama (es) m
  • Tagalog: tunton
  • Thai: แผนผัง (th) (pɛ̌ɛn-pǎng)

secret plan to achieve an end

  • Arabic: مُؤَامَرَة‎ f (muʔāmara)
  • Belarusian: змо́ва f (zmóva), замо́ва f (zamóva), згаво́р m (zhavór)
  • Bulgarian: интри́га (bg) f (intríga), за́говор (bg) m (zágovor)
  • Catalan: complot (ca) m, conspiració f
  • Chinese:
    Chinese: 陰謀／阴谋 (zh) (yīnmóu), 阴谋 (zh) (yīnmóu), 密謀／密谋 (zh) (mìmóu), 密谋 (zh) (mìmóu)
  • Czech: spiknutí (cs) n, komplot m
  • Dutch: complot (nl) m, samenzwering (nl) f
  • Esperanto: komploto, intrigo
  • Finnish: juoni (fi), salajuoni (fi), salahanke (fi)
  • French: complot (fr) m
  • German: Komplott (de) n
  • Gothic: 𐌻𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍃 f (lists)
  • Greek: συνωμοσία (el) f (synomosía)
    Ancient: ἐπιβουλή f (epiboulḗ)
  • Hebrew: קְנוּנִיָה‎ (he) f (knuniyá)
  • Hungarian: (please verify) kitervelés, (please verify) cselszövés (hu)
  • Icelandic: (please verify) ráðabrugg n
  • Italian: complotto (it) m, congiura (it) f, macchinazione (it) f, trama (it) f, ordito (it) m, cospirazione (it) f, piano (it) m, intrigo (it) m
  • Japanese: 陰謀 (ja) (いんぼう, inbō), 企み (ja) (たくらみ, takurami)
  • Korean: 음모(陰謀) (ko) (eummo)
  • Latin: coniūrātiō f, insidiae f pl
  • Manx: (please verify) cochialg
  • Maori: kara, kōrero kaioraora (to commit murder), kaikaiwaiū (treacherous)
  • Norwegian:
    Bokmål: komplott n, sammensvergelse m
  • Plautdietsch: Plon m
  • Polish: spisek (pl) m
  • Portuguese: complô (pt) m
  • Romanian: complot (ro) n
  • Russian: за́говор (ru) m (zágovor), сго́вор (ru) m (sgóvor), интри́га (ru) f (intríga)
  • Serbo-Croatian:
    Cyrillic: за̑вера f, за̑вјера f, у̀рота f
    Roman: zȃvera (sh) f, zȃvjera (sh) f, ùrota (sh) f
  • Slovak: spiknutie n, komplot m
  • Slovene: zarota f
  • Spanish: complot (es) m, conspiración (es) f
  • Swahili: njama class 9/10
  • Swedish: komplott (sv) c, sammansvärjning (sv) c
  • Telugu: దురాలోచన (te) (durālōcana)
  • Thai: แผนการ (th) (pɛ̌ɛn-gaan), อุบาย (th) (ù-baai)
  • Turkish: komplo (tr)
  • Ukrainian: змо́ва (uk) f (zmóva), зго́вір m (zhóvir)

ability to plot or intrigue

Verb[edit]

plot (third-person singular simple present plots, present participle plotting, simple past and past participle plotted)

  1. (transitive, intransitive) To conceive (a crime, misdeed etc).

    They had plotted a robbery.

    They were plotting against the king.

  2. (transitive) To trace out (a graph or diagram).

    They plotted the number of edits per day.

  3. (transitive) To mark (a point on a graph, chart, etc).

    Every five minutes they plotted their position.

    • 1602, Richard Carew, Survey on Cornwall

      This treatise plotteth down Cornwall as it now standeth.

Synonyms[edit]

  • (contrive): becast
  • (conceive a crime, etc): scheme
  • (an area of land): lot

Derived terms[edit]

  • replot

Translations[edit]

transitive: to conceive

  • Catalan: planejar (ca)
  • Chinese:
    Mandarin: 陰謀／阴谋 (zh) (yīnmóu), 密謀／密谋 (zh) (mìmóu)
  • Dutch: bedenken (nl), beramen (nl)
  • Finnish: juonia (fi), suunnitella (fi)
  • French: comploter (fr)
  • Galician: aduanar, urdir (gl), maquinar
  • German: planen (de), ausarbeiten (de), entwerfen (de)
  • Greek:
    Ancient: ἐπιβουλεύω (epibouleúō)
  • Hungarian: kitervel (hu)
  • Icelandic: brugga launráð
  • Italian: complottare (it), ordire (it), macchinare (it), congiurare (it), tramare (it), cospirare (it), pianificare (it), intrigare (it), tessere (it), orchestrare (it), architettare (it), fare la fronda
  • Latin: coniūrō, contechnor
  • Maori: whakangārahu, kakai
  • Middle English: ymagynen, compassen
  • Portuguese: conceber (pt)
  • Quechua: allwiy
  • Romanian: urzi (ro)
  • Russian: замышля́ть (ru) impf (zamyšljátʹ), замы́слить (ru) pf (zamýslitʹ)
  • Serbo-Croatian: kovati (sh), snuti (sh)
  • Spanish: tramar (es)
  • Thai: คบคิด (th)

to trace out a graph or diagram

  • Belarusian: чарці́ць impf (čarcícʹ), начарці́ць pf (načarcícʹ)
  • Bulgarian: чертая (bg) (čertaja)
  • Catalan: traçar (ca)
  • Dutch: plotten (nl)
  • Finnish: tulostaa (fi), plotata, piirtää käyrä, piirtää (fi)
  • French: tracer (fr)
  • German: plotten
  • Hungarian: ábrázol (hu)
  • Icelandic: kortleggja
  • Irish: marcáil, graf
  • Italian: tracciare (it), disegnare (it)
  • Portuguese: traçar (pt)
  • Russian: черти́ть (ru) impf (čertítʹ), начерти́ть (ru) pf (načertítʹ)
  • Spanish: trazar (es)
  • Tagalog: tuntunin
  • Thai: พล็อต (plɔ́t)

to mark a point on a graph

  • Arabic: please add this translation if you can
  • Bulgarian: нанасям (bg) (nanasjam)
  • Catalan: marcar (ca)
  • Chinese:
    Mandarin: please add this translation if you can
  • Esperanto: please add this translation if you can
  • Finnish: merkitä (fi)
  • French: marquer (fr)
  • German: eintragen (de), einzeichnen (de), festhalten (de)
  • Hungarian: megjelöl (hu), jelez (hu) (optionally adding grafikonon if it’s not clear from the context)
  • Irish: marcáil, graf
  • Italian: marcare (it), rilevare (it)
  • Japanese: please add this translation if you can
  • Portuguese: marcar (pt)
  • Russian: отмеча́ть (ru) impf (otmečátʹ), отме́тить (ru) pf (otmétitʹ)
  • Spanish: please add this translation if you can
  • Tagalog: tuntunin
  • Thai: พล็อต (plɔ́t)

intransitive: to conceive

Anagrams[edit]

  • OLTP, PTOL, lopt, polt

Albanian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From plotë.

Adverb[edit]

plot

  1. full, fully, full of

Czech[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Inherited from Old Czech plot, from Proto-Slavic *plotъ.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): [ˈplot]

Noun[edit]

plot m

  1. fence
    dřevěný plot ― wooden fence

Declension[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

  • živý plot m

[edit]

  • oplotit

Further reading[edit]

  • plot in Příruční slovník jazyka českého, 1935–1957
  • plot in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého, 1960–1971, 1989
  • plot in Internetová jazyková příručka

Dutch[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • Rhymes: -ɔt

Verb[edit]

plot

  1. first-, second- and third-person singular present indicative of plotten
  2. imperative of plotten

French[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /plo/
  • IPA(key): /plɔ/ (older, now chiefly Belgium)
  • Rhymes: -o, -ɔ

Noun[edit]

plot m (plural plots)

  1. traffic cone
  2. cone used in slalom

Further reading[edit]

  • “plot”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Indonesian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Dutch plot, from English plot, from Middle English plot, plotte, from Old English plot (“a plot of ground”), from Proto-Germanic *plataz, *platjaz (“a patch”), of uncertain origin.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈplɔt̚/

Noun[edit]

plot (first-person possessive plotku, second-person possessive plotmu, third-person possessive plotnya)

  1. (art, literature) plot, storyline: the course of a story, comprising a series of incidents which are gradually unfolded, sometimes by unexpected means.
    Synonyms: alur, alur cerita, jalan cerita

Further reading[edit]

  • “plot” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Language Development and Fostering Agency — Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic Indonesia, 2016.

Luxembourgish[edit]

Verb[edit]

plot

  1. third-person singular present indicative of ploen
  2. second-person plural present indicative of ploen
  3. second-person plural imperative of ploen

Polish[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /plɔt/
  • Rhymes: -ɔt
  • Syllabification: plot

Noun[edit]

plot f

  1. genitive plural of plota

Serbo-Croatian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Slavic *plotъ.

Noun[edit]

plȏt m (Cyrillic spelling пло̑т)

  1. fence

Declension[edit]

Spanish[edit]

Noun[edit]

plot m (plural plots)

  1. (story-telling) plot
Источник

Plot definition: Plot is the way an author develops a series of events in a text.

What does plot mean? Plot is the storyline of a text. An author puts together a series of events to create a story. The sequence of that series of events is the plot.

Typically, an author develops a plot in such a way to pique the reader’s interest. That said, the storyline is not usually resolved until the near end of the text.

A simple example of plot using the fable The Tortoise and The Hare,

  • A race was run between a tortoise and a hare
  • The hare was sure he would win.
  • He stopped frequently along the way to display his confidence.
  • The tortoise did not think he would win but never gave up.
  • The hare became distracted.
  • The tortoise crossed the finish line first and won the race.

Structures of Traditional Plots

What is the plot meaning There is a traditional plot structure that many texts follow. Below is a common plot line example.

Exposition

The exposition is the introduction to the story. Characters and setting are introduced.

Rising Action

The rising action presents a central conflict within a character or between one or more character. The conflict builds during the rising action.

Climax

The climax occurs when the conflict is at its peak and when there seems to be no viable solution to the conflict.

What is the definition of plot Falling Action

The falling action occurs after the climax when the reader is still unsure if the protagonist will be able to resolve the conflict.

Denouement

The denouement (also called the resolution) is the conclusion to the plot. Typically, the conflict is resolved at this point.

The Function of Plot

Plot definition literature A story does not exist without a plot. A plot includes every event that occurs throughout a text.

The plot should be developed in such a way to interest the readers and to keep them guessing at the next points.

A good plot is one that has well-developed characters who are engaging in several conflicts.

Plot Examples in Literature

What is a plot of a story When an author writes a text, he wants to create interest for his readers. The overarching way for a writer to achieve this is through plot.

Readers put down a book because the storyline is uninteresting to them; furthermore, readers continue to read a text because of its plot components.

Some good examples of literary plots are held within the works of Shakespeare. Most Shakespeare plays follow the traditional plot structure, where Act I serves as the exposition, Act 3 the climax, and Act 5 the denouement.

Uses of Plot in Everyday Language

  • The result is a story at once fabulist and searingly precise, driven by a deadpan voice that manages to do equal literary justice to the suspense of the plot, the author’s version of historical truth and the emotions evoked by its protagonist, the young runaway slave Cora. –The Wall Street Journal
  • Book groups have been a popular plot device in commercial fiction. It’s a handy way to get a group of people together, and they’ll always have something to talk about. –The Washington Post

Summary: What is Plot in Literature?

What is the plot of a book Define plot in literature: the definition of plot in literature is the sequence of events that made up a storyline.

In summary, a plot is the basic storyline of a text. Most plots follow a traditional pattern, where the climax is the turning point of the text. A good plot generally leads to an interesting novel, as plot encompasses most literary elements.

Contents

  • 1 What is a Plot?
  • 2 Structures of Traditional Plots
  • 3 The Function of Plot
  • 4 Plot Examples in Literature
  • 5 Uses of Plot in Everyday Language
  • 6 Summary: What is Plot in Literature?

Источник

Noun

Her books are page-turners, and yet there is more going on in them than just the mechanics of a clever plot …


—Robin McKinley, New York Times Book Review, 17 May 1987


… as he stood before the great dripping department store which now occupied the big plot of ground where once had stood both the Amberson Hotel and the Amberson Opera House.


—Booth Tarkington, The Magnificent Ambersons, 1918


When I returned with the pistol the table had been cleared, and Holmes was engaged in his favourite occupation of scraping upon his violin. «The plot thickens,» he said, as I entered …


—Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet, 1887



The plots are selling for $15,000 per acre.



They just bought a 12-acre plot of land.



The book’s plot revolves around a woman who is searching for her missing sister.



The movie has a weak plot.



Police uncovered a plot to assassinate the prime minister.



The prime minister was the target of an assassination plot.

Verb

While men plotted wars or devised philosophies, women were confined within their homes …


—Barbara Ehrenreich, Ms., Winter 2007


Would-be nation builders plotted Italy’s unification from the south and the north.


—David Van Biema, Time, 4 Sept. 2000



They plotted to steal the painting.



She spent her years in prison plotting her revenge.



We’ve been plotting growth strategies for the company.



She carefully plotted her career path.



They’ve plotted the locations where the trees will be planted.



Have you plotted the route for your trip yet?



Students plotted soil temperatures on a graph throughout the school year.

See More

Recent Examples on the Web



The Lego Movie and Toy Story theory Instead of Truman Show, other Internet sleuths think the trailer actually gives more of a Lego Movie vibe—where the plot is revealed to be a young child playing with Lego sets.


—Town & Country, 7 Apr. 2023




Directed by Chris Long the plot involves a trans-Atlantic cat and mouse game as the kidnappers of the son of a wealthy American businesswoman (Thurman) try to evade law enforcement agencies.


—Patrick Frater, Variety, 6 Apr. 2023




O’Connor was one of the government attorneys who argued the second federal trial for the kidnapping plot against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, when prosecutors were able to secure a pair of guilty verdicts.


—Adrienne Roberts, Detroit Free Press, 6 Apr. 2023




Even apart from the Barbie pink, almost every frame in the trailer is awash in color, and some experts think this could be a hint to the plot.


—Maham Javaid, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2023




His buttery voice talks viewers through adding a tree here, a cabin there, and always a mountain in the back (a plot point that comes and goes).


—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 5 Apr. 2023




But the various story beats and franchise callbacks (notably the return of the whiny, bumbling battle droids from the prequels and Clone Wars, plus more of Ugnaughts, like our old friend Kuill from the first season) are enough to paper over the sketchy plot.


—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2023




The second season seemed to have more of Kat in store, but plot points about her complicated self-acceptance journey and her dwindling relationship with Ethan were cut short and took a back seat to other characters.


—Jonah Valdez, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2023




In discussing the true story of Tetris, this story reveals key plot points from the movie.


—Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2023



Robertson was initially hired to find Vallow and her late brother, Alex Cox, after they were accused of plotting a drive-by shooting in Arizona in July 2019.


—Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 5 Apr. 2023




Defense attorneys are trying to undermine prosecutors’ claim that the Proud Boys plotted to attack the Capitol and stop Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s electoral victory during a joint session on Jan. 6.


—CBS News, 29 Mar. 2023




Van Norden — a local Shakespearean treasure — makes Gonzalo honorable yet not entirely immune from the ridicule of Antonio (Rodney Gardiner), Prospero’s brother, and Sebastian (Christopher Rivera), Alonso’s brother, who are plotting their own vicious coup.


—Charles Mcnulty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2023




Defense attorneys have argued there is no evidence the Proud Boys plotted to attack the Capitol and stop Congress from certifying Biden’s electoral victory.


—Michael Kunzelman And Lindsay Whitehurst, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Mar. 2023




Defense attorneys have argued there is no evidence that Proud Boys plotted to attack the Capitol and stop Congress from certifying Biden’s electoral victory.


—Michael Kunzelman, Orlando Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2023




In the twisty new Paramount+ series Rabbit Hole (premiering Mar. 26), the 24 and Designated Survivor alum plays John Weir, a three-steps-ahead corporate spy-for-hire who plots exquisitely.


—Dan Snierson, EW.com, 15 Mar. 2023




The short demonstrates the power of compassion through the remarkable transformation of former Marine Mac McKinney, who plots to detonate an Islamic center after returning to civilian life.


—Katie Reul, Variety, 23 Feb. 2023




With its funding, the brand is plotting an expansion from direct-to-consumer sales to reaching retail customers, says CEO Chris Gallant.


—Kinsey Crowley, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2023


See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘plot.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Источник

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In the context of Wikipedia, «MOS:PLOT» refers to the Wikipedia Manual of Style for plot summaries.

Plot or Plotting may refer to:

Art, media and entertainment[edit]

  • Plot (narrative), the story of a piece of fiction

Music[edit]

  • The Plot (album), a 1976 album by jazz trumpeter Enrico Rava
  • The Plot (band), a band formed in 2003

Other[edit]

  • Plot (film), a 1973 French-Italian film
  • Plotting (video game), a 1989 Taito puzzle video game, also called Flipull
  • The Plot (video game), a platform game released in 1988 for the Amstrad CPC and Sinclair Spectrum
  • Plotting (non-fiction), a 1939 book on writing by Jack Woodford
  • The Plot (novel), a 2021 mystery by Jean Hanff Korelitz

Graphics[edit]

  • Plot (graphics), a graphical technique for representing a data set
  • Plot (radar), a graphic display that shows all collated data from a ship’s on-board sensors
  • Plot plan, a type of drawing which shows existing and proposed conditions for a given area

Land[edit]

  • Plot (land), a piece of land used for building on
    • Burial plot, a piece of land a person is buried in
  • Quadrat, a defined area of land used for an ecological study

Other uses[edit]

  • Robert Plot (1640–1696), English naturalist

See also[edit]

  • Motion planning, a term used in robotics for the process of detailing a task into atomic motions
  • Plotting board, a mechanical device to track a target and project its future position
  • Conspiracy (disambiguation)
  • Plotter (disambiguation)
  • Plat, a map
  • All pages with titles containing Plot
  • All pages with titles beginning with Plot
Источник

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