Definitions for design
dɪˈzaɪnde·sign

Princeton's WordNet(4.60 / 5 votes)Rate this definition:

1. design, designing(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"

2. design, plan(noun)

   an arrangement scheme

   "the awkward design of the keyboard made operation difficult"; "it was an excellent design for living"; "a plan for seating guests"

3. blueprint, design, pattern(noun)

   something intended as a guide for making something else

   "a blueprint for a house"; "a pattern for a skirt"

4. design, pattern, figure(noun)

   a decorative or artistic work

   "the coach had a design on the doors"

5. purpose, intent, intention, aim, design(noun)

   an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

   "his intent was to provide a new translation"; "good intentions are not enough"; "it was created with the conscious aim of answering immediate needs"; "he made no secret of his designs"

6. design(noun)

   a preliminary sketch indicating the plan for something

   "the design of a building"

7. invention, innovation, excogitation, conception, design(verb)

   the creation of something in the mind

8. plan, project, contrive, design(verb)

   make or work out a plan for; devise

   "They contrived to murder their boss"; "design a new sales strategy"; "plan an attack"

9. design(verb)

   plan something for a specific role or purpose or effect

   "This room is not designed for work"

10. design(verb)

    create the design for; create or execute in an artistic or highly skilled manner

    "Chanel designed the famous suit"

11. design, plan(verb)

    make a design of; plan out in systematic, often graphic form

    "design a better mousetrap"; "plan the new wing of the museum"

12. design(verb)

    create designs

    "Dupont designs for the house of Chanel"

13. design(verb)

    conceive or fashion in the mind; invent

    "She designed a good excuse for not attending classes that day"

14. design(verb)

    intend or have as a purpose

    "She designed to go far in the world of business"

Wiktionary(4.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. design(Noun)

   A plan (with more or less detail) for the structure and functions of an artifact, building or system.

2. design(Noun)

   A pattern, as an element of a work of art or architecture.

3. design(Noun)

   The composition of a work of art.

4. design(Noun)

   Intention or plot.

5. design(Noun)

   The shape or appearance given to an object, especially one that is intended to make it more attractive.

6. design(Noun)

   The art of designing

   Danish design of furniture is world-famous.

7. design(Verb)

   To assign, appoint (something to someone); to designate.

8. design(Verb)

   To plan and carry out (a picture, work of art, construction etc.).

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Design(noun)

   to draw preliminary outline or main features of; to sketch for a pattern or model; to delineate; to trace out; to draw

2. Design(noun)

   to mark out and exhibit; to designate; to indicate; to show; to point out; to appoint

3. Design(noun)

   to create or produce, as a work of art; to form a plan or scheme of; to form in idea; to invent; to project; to lay out in the mind; as, a man designs an essay, a poem, a statue, or a cathedral

4. Design(noun)

   to intend or purpose; -- usually with for before the remote object, but sometimes with to

5. Design(verb)

   to form a design or designs; to plan

6. Design(noun)

   a preliminary sketch; an outline or pattern of the main features of something to be executed, as of a picture, a building, or a decoration; a delineation; a plan

7. Design(noun)

   a plan or scheme formed in the mind of something to be done; preliminary conception; idea intended to be expressed in a visible form or carried into action; intention; purpose; -- often used in a bad sense for evil intention or purpose; scheme; plot

8. Design(noun)

   specifically, intention or purpose as revealed or inferred from the adaptation of means to an end; as, the argument from design

9. Design(noun)

   the realization of an inventive or decorative plan; esp., a work of decorative art considered as a new creation; conception or plan shown in completed work; as, this carved panel is a fine design, or of a fine design

10. Design(noun)

    the invention and conduct of the subject; the disposition of every part, and the general order of the whole

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Design

   Design is the creation of a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system. Design has different connotations in different fields. In some cases the direct construction of an object is also considered to be design. More formally design has been defined as follows. Another definition for design is a roadmap or a strategic approach for someone to achieve a unique expectation. It defines the specifications, plans, parameters, costs, activities, processes and how and what to do within legal, political, social, environmental, safety and economic constraints in achieving that objective. Here, a "specification" can be manifested as either a plan or a finished product, and "primitives" are the elements from which the design object is composed. With such a broad denotation, there is no universal language or unifying institution for designers of all disciplines. This allows for many differing philosophies and approaches toward the subject.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Design

   de-zīn′, or de-sīn′, v.t. to draw: to form a plan of: to contrive: to intend.—n. a drawing or sketch: a plan in outline: a plan or scheme formed in the mind: plot: intention.—adj. Design′able.—v.t. Des′ignāte, to mark out so as to make known: to show: to name.—ns. Designā′tion, a showing or pointing out: name: title; Des′ignātor.—adv. Design′edly, by design: intentionally.—n. Design′er, one who furnishes designs or patterns: a plotter.—adjs. Design′ful, full of design; Design′ing, artful: scheming: deceitful.—n. the art of making designs or patterns.—adj. Design′less.—n. Design′ment, the design or sketch of a work: (Shak.) intention, purpose, enterprise.—The argument from design, the argument for the existence of God derived from the evidences of design in creation. [Fr.,—L. designāre, -ātum—de, and signum, a mark.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. design

   To create with our imagination, soul, spirit, conscience, consciousness and mind.

   She loved to design things with her mind.

   Submitted by MaryC on January 16, 2020  

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'design' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #803

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'design' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1857

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'design' in Nouns Frequency: #275

4. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'design' in Verbs Frequency: #192

Anagrams for design »

1. deigns

2. signed

3. singed

How to pronounce design?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say design in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of design in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of design in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of design in a Sentence

1. Donald Brydon:

   Why should not senior auditors come together now to design a profession for themselves, what is needed is to step forward and say 'we will do it'.

2. James Victore:

   Graphic design is a big fucking club with spikes in it, and I want to wield it.

3. Di Martino:

   I approach architecture in the same way. I am interested in how man is placed in this design, even though I photograph these buildings without people, they are not there, but I still like to narrate their story.

4. Damitha Pathmalal:

   As long as the government remains in the business of picking winners and losers, the engine of creative destruction that is necessary for true innovation in this or any other sector is unlikely to take root in Sri Lanka,” Pathmalal cautioned. “History doesn’t repeat itself but it rhymes. The local economic policy-making bodies bear a striking resemblance to Venice’s Great Council, which was comprised of the business leaders of the time and informed government policy. It ostensibly fostered economic growth but by its design was a protectionist old boys club. In 1330 Venice was the size of Paris and three times larger London. It is now a city that is literally under water and a museum for tourists.”

5. Al Gore:

   It is relatively easy now to design and build zero carbon buildings. The savings in energy, material costs and the reductions in global warming pollution are not minor. We’re talking about 50, 60, 70, 80 even 90 percent savings in category after category.

Images & Illustrations of design

Popularity rank by frequency of use