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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Outline Meaning, Examples & Usage Guide (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：Outline plan (outline)

outline 🔊

/ˈaʊtlaɪn/

A list of the main ideas and structure of something you're going to write or do.

Outline plan 🔊

➕

/ˈaʊtlaɪn plæn/

A structured overview or list of the main points to be covered in a piece of writing, a speech, or a project, often used as a guide before the detailed work begins.

📁 Category：School Education 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From 'out' (outside) + 'line' (line), meaning the outer line that defines a shape.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine drawing the main lines on the outside of your ideas – that's your outline.

📖 Example

Before writing the essay, my teacher asked us to submit an outline first. 🔊 Before writing the essay, my teacher asked us to submit an outline first.

🔗 Collocations

provide an outline – To give a summary of the main points or structure.

detailed outline – An outline that includes many specific points or steps.

outline of a speech – The main topics arranged for a spoken presentation.

🔄 Synonyms

summary (n.) – A brief account of the main points of something.

framework (n.) – A basic structure underlying a system, concept, or text.

plan (n.) – A detailed proposal for doing or achieving something.

🚫 Antonyms

detail (n.) – An individual feature, fact, or item, often elaborating on a general outline.

elaboration (n.) – The process of adding more detail to something.

expansion (n.) – The act of enlarging or extending something, opposite of a concise outline.

🌱 Derivatives

outline (v.) – To give a summary of the main points or to draw the outer shape of something.

outlined (adj.) – Having been given in outline form or having its outer shape shown.

outlining (n.) – The act of creating an outline.

📖 Cultural Story

First used in the 15th century to mean 'the external lines of a shape'. The figurative sense for 'a summary of main points' appeared in the 18th century.

Meaning 2：Silhouette shape (outline)

outline 🔊

/ˈaʊtlaɪn/

The shape of something you see when it's dark or far away, without clear details.

Silhouette outline of mountains at sunset

Silhouette shape 🔊

➕

/ˌsɪluˈet ʃeɪp/

The outer edge or shape of an object or figure, seen as a line that defines its form without showing internal details, especially when the object is dark against a lighter background.

📁 Category：Natural Geography 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

At sunset, we could only see the dark outline of the distant mountains against the orange sky. 🔊 At sunset, we could only see the dark outline of the distant mountains against the orange sky.

🔗 Collocations

outline of a figure – The outer shape or silhouette of a person or object.

dark outline – A black or shadowy line showing the shape of something.

trace the outline – To follow or draw the outer edge of something.

🔄 Synonyms

silhouette (n.) – A dark shape seen against a light background.

contour (n.) – An outline representing or bounding the shape or form of something.

profile (n.) – A side view or outline of a person's face or an object.

🚫 Antonyms

detail (n.) – Fine or intricate features that are not visible in an outline.

inside (n.) – The interior portion, opposite of the outer boundary.

substance (n.) – The solid material or inner content, as opposed to the mere outline.

🌱 Derivatives

outline (v.) – To draw the outer edge of something, or to appear as a silhouette.

outlined (adj.) – Drawn or seen as an outline.

outlining (n.) – The process of defining the outer shape.