design

/dɪˈzaɪn/

/dɪˈzaɪn/

Other forms: designed; designs; designing

To design is to conceive, create, sketch out, or invent something. An architect might design a new apartment building, and an inventor might design a new smart phone.

Charles Eames, famous designer of fancy modern chairs, said "Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose." That's a broad definition, but then again, design is a broad field. School kids design book report posters, engineers design bridges, and politicians design arguments against their opponents. If you really want to explore design, take some time to examine the expert layout of a Picasso painting.

Definitions of design

1. noun

   the act of working out the form of something (as by making a sketch or outline or plan)
   “he contributed to the design of a new instrument”

   synonyms: designing

   types:

   planning

   the act or process of drawing up plans or layouts for some project or enterprise

   city planning, town planning, urban planning

   determining and drawing up plans for the future physical arrangement and condition of a community

   type of:

   creating by mental acts

   the act of creating something by thinking
2. noun

   an arrangement scheme
   “the awkward design of the keyboard made operation difficult”

   “it was an excellent design for living”

   synonyms: plan

   types:

   configuration, constellation

   an arrangement of parts or elements

   layout

   a plan or design of something that is laid out

   snare, trap

   something (often something deceptively attractive) that catches you unawares

   hotel plan, meal plan

   a plan and a room rate for providing a room and meals to guests at a hotel

   redundancy

   (electronics) a system design that duplicates components to provide alternatives in case one component fails

   network topology, topology

   the configuration of a communication network

   chunking, unitisation, unitization

   (psychology) the configuration of smaller units of information into large coordinated units

   iron trap

   a trap from which there is no escape

   speed trap

   a trap arranged on a roadway for catching speeders

   American plan

   a hotel plan that includes three meals daily

   Bermuda plan

   a hotel plan that provides a full breakfast daily

   European plan, continental plan

   a hotel plan that provides a continental breakfast daily

   type of:

   arrangement, organisation, organization, system

   an organized structure for arranging or classifying
3. noun

   a preliminary sketch indicating the plan for something
   “the design of a building”

   type of:

   sketch, study

   preliminary drawing for later elaboration
4. noun

   something intended as a guide for making something else
   synonyms: blueprint, pattern

   type of:

   plan, program, programme

   a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished
5. noun

   a decorative or artistic work
   “the coach had a design on the doors”

   synonyms: figure, pattern

   types:

   argyle, argyll

   a design consisting of a pattern of varicolored diamonds on a solid background (originally for knitted articles); patterned after the tartan of a clan in western Scotland

   bear claw

   an incised design resembling the claw of a bear; used in Native American pottery

   damascene

   a design produced by inlaying gold or silver into steel

   decal, decalcomania

   either a design that is fixed to some surface or a paper bearing the design which is to be transferred to the surface

   device

   any ornamental pattern or design (as in embroidery)

   emblem, icon

   special design or visual object representing a quality, type, group, etc.

   herringbone, herringbone pattern

   a pattern of columns of short parallel lines with all the lines in one column sloping one way and lines in adjacent columns sloping the other way; it is used in weaving, masonry, parquetry, embroidery

   linocut

   a design carved in relief into a block of linoleum

   mandala

   any of various geometric designs (usually circular) symbolizing the universe; used chiefly in Hinduism and Buddhism as an aid to meditation

   mihrab

   (Islam) a design in the shape of niche in a Muslim prayer rug; during worship the niche must be pointed toward Mecca

   motif, motive

   a design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration

   polka dot

   design consisting of a pattern of regularly spaced circular spots

   pyrograph

   a design produced by pyrography

   screen saver

   (computer science) a moving design that appears on a computer screen when there has been no input for a specified period of time

   sunburst

   a design consisting of a central disk resembling the sun and rays emanating from it

   tattoo

   a design on the skin made by tattooing

   tetraskele, tetraskelion

   a figure consisting of four stylized human arms or legs (or bent lines) radiating from a center

   triskele, triskelion

   a figure consisting of three stylized human arms or legs (or three bent lines) radiating from a center

   weave

   pattern of weaving or structure of a fabric

   marking

   a pattern of marks

   check

   a textile pattern of squares or crossed lines (resembling a checkerboard)

   colophon

   a publisher's emblem printed in a book (usually on the title page)

   colors, colours

   a distinguishing emblem

   crest

   (heraldry) in medieval times, an emblem used to decorate a helmet

   Cross

   a representation of the structure on which Jesus was crucified; used as an emblem of Christianity or in heraldry

   device

   an emblematic design (especially in heraldry)

   flag

   emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design

   heraldry

   emblem indicating the right of a person to bear arms

   open weave

   a weave in which warp threads never come together, leaving interstices in the fabric

   plain weave, taffeta weave

   a basic style of weave in which the weft and warp threads intertwine alternately to produce a checkerboard effect

   satin weave

   a weave in which the filling and warp threads intersect in such a way as to give a smooth compact surface with no distinguishable twill line

   seal, stamp

   a device incised to make an impression; used to secure a closing or to authenticate documents

   skull and crossbones

   emblem warning of danger or death

   totem

   emblem consisting of an object such as an animal or plant; serves as the symbol of a family or clan (especially among American Indians)

   totem pole

   a tribal emblem consisting of a pillar carved and painted with totemic figures; erected by Indian tribes of the northwest Pacific coast

   twill, twill weave

   a weave used to produce the effect of parallel diagonal ribs

   blaze

   a light-colored marking

   crisscross, cross, mark

   a marking that consists of lines that cross each other

   eyespot, ocellus

   an eyelike marking (as on the wings of some butterflies); usually a spot of color inside a ring of another color

   shading

   graded markings that indicate light or shaded areas in a drawing or painting

   dapple, fleck, maculation, patch, speckle, spot

   a small contrasting part of something

   bar, streak, stripe

   a narrow marking of a different color or texture from the background

   Hakenkreuz, swastika

   the official emblem of the Nazi Party and the Third Reich; a cross with the arms bent at right angles in a clockwise direction

   type of:

   decoration, ornament, ornamentation

   something used to beautify
6. verb

   make or work out a plan for; devise
   “design a new sales strategy”

   synonyms: contrive, plan, project

   types:

   plot

   devise the sequence of events in (a literary work or a play, movie, or ballet)

   concert

   contrive (a plan) by mutual agreement

   map, map out

   plan, delineate, or arrange in detail

   strategize

   devise a strategy, plan, or course of action

   type of:

   create by mental act, create mentally

   create mentally and abstractly rather than with one's hands
7. verb

   make a design of; plan out in systematic, often graphic form
   “design a better mousetrap”

   synonyms: plan

   types:

   engineer

   design as an engineer

   redesign

   design anew, make a new design for

   blueprint, draft, draught

   make a blueprint of

   type of:

   create by mental act, create mentally

   create mentally and abstractly rather than with one's hands
8. verb

   create the design for; create or execute in an artistic or highly skilled manner
   “Chanel designed the famous suit”

   types:

   cut, tailor

   style and tailor in a certain fashion

   make up

   devise or compose

   gore

   cut into gores

   type of:

   create, make

   create by artistic means
9. verb

   plan something for a specific role or purpose or effect
   “This room is not designed for work”

   type of:

   designate, destine, intend, specify

   design or destine
10. verb

    create designs
    “Dupont designs for the house of Chanel”

    type of:

    create, make

    create by artistic means
11. noun

    the creation of something in the mind
    synonyms: conception, excogitation, innovation, invention

    types:

    concoction

    the invention of a scheme or story to suit some purpose

    contrivance

    the faculty of contriving; inventive skill

    type of:

    creative thinking, creativeness, creativity

    the ability to create
12. noun

    an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
    “he made no secret of his designs”

    synonyms: aim, intent, intention, mission, purpose

    types:

    idea, mind

    your intention; what you intend to do

    cross-purpose

    a contrary aim

    final cause

    (philosophy) the end or purpose of a thing or process

    sake

    the purpose of achieving or obtaining

    view

    purpose; the phrase `with a view to' means `with the intention of' or `for the purpose of'

    will

    a fixed and persistent intent or purpose

    type of:

    end, goal

    the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to achieve it
13. verb

    conceive or fashion in the mind; invent
    “She designed a good excuse for not attending classes that day”

    type of:

    conceive, conceptualise, conceptualize, gestate

    have the idea for
14. verb

    intend or have as a purpose
    “She designed to go far in the world of business”

    type of:

    intend, mean, think

    have in mind as a purpose