A small extent of ground; a plat; as, a garden plot. Shak. [1913 Webster]
A plantation laid out. Sir P. Sidney. [1913 Webster]
A plan or draught of a field, farm, estate, etc., drawn to a scale. [1913 Webster]

Plot, v. t.

To make a plot, map, pr plan, of; to mark the position of on a plan; to delineate. [1913 Webster]

" This treatise plotteth down Cornwall as it now standeth." [1913 Webster]

Plot, n. [Abbrev. from complot.].

Any scheme, stratagem, secret design, or plan, of a complicated nature, adapted to the accomplishment of some purpose, usually a treacherous and mischievous one; a conspiracy; an intrigue; as, the Rye-house Plot. [1913 Webster]
"I have overheard a plot of death." [1913 Webster]

"O, think what anxious moments pass between
The birth of plots and their last fatal periods!" [1913 Webster]
A share in such a plot or scheme; a participation in any stratagem or conspiracy. [1913 Webster]
"And when Christ saith, Who marries the divorced commits adultery, it is to be understood, if he had any plot in the divorce." [1913 Webster]
Contrivance; deep reach of thought; ability to plot or intrigue. Denham. [1913 Webster]
A plan; a purpose. Jer. Taylor. [1913 Webster]
In fiction, the story of a play, novel, romance, or poem, comprising a complication of incidents which are gradually unfolded, sometimes by unexpected means. [1913 Webster]
"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." [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- Intrigue; stratagem; conspiracy; cabal; combination; contrivance.

Plot, v. i.

To form a scheme of mischief against another, especially against a government or those who administer it; to conspire. Shak. [1913 Webster]
"The wicked plotteth against the just." [1913 Webster]
To contrive a plan or stratagem; to scheme. [1913 Webster]
"The prince did plot to be secretly gone." [1913 Webster]

Plot, v. t.

To plan; to scheme; to devise; to contrive secretly. Milton [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

Plot, n. & v.
--n.
1 a defined and usu. small piece of ground.
2 the interrelationship of the main events in a play, novel, film, etc.
3 a conspiracy or secret plan, esp. to achieve an unlawful end.
4 esp. US a graph or diagram.
5 a graph showing the relation between two variables.
--v. (plotted, plotting) tr.
1 make a plan or map of (an existing object, a place or thing to be laid out, constructed, etc.).
2 (also absol.) plan or contrive secretly (a crime, conspiracy, etc.).
3 mark (a point or course etc.) on a chart or diagram.
4 a mark out or allocate (points) on a graph. b make (a curve etc.) by marking out a number of points.

Derivative

plotless adj. plotlessness n. plotter n.

Etymology

OE and f. OF complot secret plan: both of unkn. orig.

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THESAURUS

Plot

acreage, acres, action, allotment, anagnorisis, angle, anticipate, approach, architectonics, architecture, area, argument, arrange, art, artful dodge, artifice, atmosphere, await, background, be destined, be fated, be imminent, be to be, be to come, blind, block, blueprint, brew, brouillon, cabal, calculate, cartoon, catastrophe, characterization, chart, chattels real, chicanery, clearing, clos, close, cogitate, collogue, collude, collusion, color, come, come on, complication, complicity, complot, compute, conceive, concoct, confederacy, connivance, connive, conniving, conspiracy, conspire, continuity, contraption, contrivance, contrive, contriving, cook up, copy, corn field, countermine, counterplot, coup, covin, craft, croft, cultivated land, cute trick, deceit, deep-laid plot, delineation, demesne, denouement, depict, design, determine, development, device, devise, diagram, dodge, domain, draft, draw, draw near, draw on, drawing, dream up, ebauche, elevation, enclave, engineer, engineering, episode, esquisse, expect, expedient, fable, fakement, falling action, feint, fetch, field, figure, finagle, finagling, find, finesse, fix, foresee, foretell, forethink, forty, frame, frame up, frame-up, gambit, game, gerrymander, gimmick, graph, grift, ground plan, grounds, hatch, hatch a plot, hatch up, hayfield, honor, hope, house plan, ichnography, incident, intrigue, jockey, jugglery, knavery, kraal, land, landed property, lands, lay, lay a plot, lay down, lay off, lay out, lie ahead, line, little game, local color, look for, look forward to, loom, lot, lots, machinate, machination, maneuver, maneuvering, manipulate, manipulation, manor, map, map out, mark off, mark out, messuage, mood, motif, move, movement, mythos, near, operate, organize, outline, pack, pack the deal, paddy, pale, parcel, parcel of land, patch, pattern, peripeteia, piece of land, plan, plat, play games, plot of ground, plot out, plotting, ploy, practice, praedium, prearrange, preconcert, preconsider, precontrive, predesign, predetermine, predict, premeditate, preorder, preresolve, profile, project, projection, property, prophesy, pull strings, quad, quadrangle, quadrat, racket, real estate, real property, realty, recognition, red herring, rice paddy, rig, rigging, rising action, rough, ruse, scenario, scheme, schemery, scheming, secondary plot, section, set out, set up, sew up, shift, show, skeleton, sketch, sketch out, slant, sleight, square, stack the cards, story, stratagem, strategy, structure, subject, subplot, subterfuge, switch, table, tactic, tenements, thematic development, theme, thread, threaten, toft, tone, topic, tract, trick, trickery, twist, underplot, wangle, web of intrigue, wheat field, wile, wily device, wire-pulling, work out beforehand, working drawing

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ROGET THESAURUS

Plot

Plan

N plan, scheme, design, project, proposal, proposition, suggestion, resolution, motion, precaution, deep- laid plan, system, organization, germ, sketch, skeleton, outline, draught, draft, ebauche, brouillon, rough cast, rough draft, draught copy, copy, proof, revise, drawing, scheme, schematic, graphic, chart, flow chart (representation), forecast, program, programme, prospectus, carte du pays, card, bill, protocol, order of the day, list of agenda, bill of fare, base of operations, platform, plank, slate, ticket, role, policy, contrivance, invention, expedient, receipt, nostrum, artifice, device, pipelaying, stratagem, trick, alternative, loophole, shift, last shift, measure, step, stroke, stroke of policy, master stroke, trump card, court card, cheval de bataille, great gun, coup, coup d'etat, clever stroke, bold stroke, good move, good hit, good stroke, bright thought, bright idea, intrigue, cabal, plot, conspiracy, complot, machination, subplot, underplot, counterplot, schemer, schemist, schematist, strategist, machinator, projector, artist, promoter, designer, conspirator, intrigant, planned, strategic, strategical, planning, prepared, in course of preparation, under consideration, on the tapis, on the carpet, on the floor.

VB plan, scheme, design, frame, contrive, project, forecast, sketch, devise, invent, set one's wits to work, spring a project, fall upon, hit upon, strike out, chalk out, cut out, lay out, map out, lay down a plan, shape out a course, mark out a course, predetermine, concert, preconcert, preestablish, prepare, hatch, hatch a plot concoct, take steps, take measures, cast, recast, systematize, organize, arrange, digest, mature, plot, counter-plot, counter-mine, dig a mine, lay a train, intrigue.

Cunning

N cunning, craft, cunningness, craftiness, subtlety, artificiality, maneuvering, temporization, circumvention, chicane, chicanery, sharp practice, knavery, jugglery, concealment, guile, doubling, duplicity, foul play, diplomacy, politics, Machiavelism, jobbery, backstairs influence, art, artifice, device, machination, plot, maneuver, stratagem, dodge, sidestep, artful dodge, wile, trick, trickery, ruse, ruse de guerre, finesse, side blow, thin end of the wedge, shift, go by, subterfuge, evasion, white lie, juggle, tour de force, tricks of the trade, tricks upon travelers, espieglerie, net, trap, Ulysses, Machiavel, sly boots, fox, reynard, Scotchman, Jew, Yankee, intriguer, intrigant, floater, Indian giver, keener, repeater, cunning, crafty, artful, skillful, subtle, feline, vulpine, cunning as a fox, cunning as a serpent, deep, deep laid, profound, designing, contriving, intriguing, strategic, diplomatic, politic, Machiavelian, timeserving, artificial, tricky, tricksy, wily, sly, slim, insidious, stealthy, underhand, subdolous, deceitful, slippery as an eel, evasive, crooked, arch, pawky, shrewd, acute, sharp, sharp as a tack, sharp as a needle, canny, astute, leery, knowing, up to snuff, too clever by half, not to be caught with chaff, tactful, diplomatic, politic, polite, cunningly, slyly, slily, on the sly, by a side wind, diamond cut diamond, a' bis ou a blanc, fin contre fin, something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

Region

N region, sphere, ground, soil, area, field, realm, hemisphere, quarter, district, beat, orb, circuit, circle, reservation, pale, compartment, department, clearing, (property) &c 780 (Government), 1 arena, precincts, enceinte, walk, march, patch, plot, parcel, inclosure, close, field, court, enclave, reserve, preserve, street, clime, climate, zone, meridian, latitude, biosphere, lithosphere, territorial, local, parochial, provincial, regional.

Plain

N plain, table-land, face of the country, open country, champaign country, basin, downs, waste, weary waste, desert, wild, steppe, pampas, savanna, prairie, heath, common, wold, veldt, moor, moorland, bush, plateau, campagna, alkali flat, llano, mesa, mesilla, playa, shaking prairie, trembling prairie, vega, meadow, mead, haugh, pasturage, park, field, lawn, green, plat, plot, grassplat, greensward, sward, turf, sod, heather, lea, ley, lay, grounds, maidan, agostadero, champaign, alluvial, campestral, campestrial, campestrian, campestrine.

Representation

N representation, representment, imitation, illustration, delineation, depictment, imagery, portraiture, iconography, design, designing, art, fine arts, painting, sculpture, engraving, photography, cinematography, radiography, autoradiography, fluorography, sciagraphy, personation, personification, impersonation, drama, picture, photo, photograph, daguerreotype, snapshot, X-ray photo, movie film, movie, tracing, scan, TV image, video image, image file, graphics, computer graphics, televideo, closed-circuit TV, copy, drawing, sketch, drought, draft, plot, chart, figure, scheme, image, likeness, icon, portrait, striking likeness, speaking likeness, very image, effigy, facsimile, figure, figure head, puppet, doll, figurine, aglet, manikin, lay- figure, model, mammet, marionette, fantoccini, waxwork, bust, statue, statuette, ideograph, hieroglyphic, anaglyph, kanji, diagram, monogram, map, plan, chart, ground plan, projection, elevation (plan), ichnography, cartography, atlas, outline, scheme, view, radiograph, scotograph, sciagraph, spectrogram, heliogram, represent, representing, representative, illustrative, represented, imitative, figurative, iconic, like, graphic, cinquecento quattrocento, trecento.

VB copy, drawing, sketch, drought, draft, plot, chart, figure, scheme, image, likeness, icon, portrait, striking likeness, speaking likeness, very image, effigy, facsimile, figure, figure head, puppet, doll, figurine, aglet, manikin, lay- figure, model, mammet, marionette, fantoccini, waxwork, bust, statue, statuette, ideograph, hieroglyphic, anaglyph, kanji, diagram, monogram, map, plan, chart, ground plan, projection, elevation (plan), ichnography, cartography, atlas, outline, scheme, view, radiograph, scotograph, sciagraph, spectrogram, heliogram, V, represent, delineate, depict, depicture, portray, take a likeness, catch a likeness, hit off, photograph, daguerreotype, snapshot, figure, shadow forth, shadow out, adumbrate, body forth, describe, trace, copy, mold, dress up, illustrate, symbolize, paint, carve, engrave, personate, personify, impersonate, assume a character, pose as, act, play, mimic, hold the mirror up to nature.

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