I. ˈau̇tˌlīn noun
Etymology: out (III) + line
1.
a. : a line that marks the outer limits of an object or figure : boundary
in good years the outline of the cultivated area expands — P.E.James
the rugged outlines of the mountains
b. : contour , shape
the original outline of the house is clearly marked — American Guide Series: Louisiana
the sharpening outline of her face — Willa Cather
2.
a. : a style of representation or drawing in which contours are marked without shading
paint rapidly in outline on the stone — F.W.Goudy
drew a dog in outline
b. : a sketch in outline
prepared several outlines of the suggested mural
c. : open IV 4
d. : a symbol used to represent a word in shorthand writing
learned how to write shorthand outlines for every word she heard — Marie M. Stewart
my hand was so shaky I could hardly make my outlines — Dorothy Sayers
3.
a. outlines plural : the principal features or general principles of a subject of discussion
shall sketch only the outlines of some aspects of American education — J.B.Conant
agreed on the broad outlines of a wage settlement
b. : a relatively brief and condensed treatment of a particular subject
has written a useful outline of atomic physics
an outline of world history in two volumes
c. : a summary giving the essential content of a written work
the gist of these books was preserved in a series of small outlines — R.W.Southern
4.
a. : a preliminary account or sketch of a projected course of action or study
gave his staff an outline of his proposed strategy in the coming campaign
gave the class an outline of the points he intended to cover
b. : a brief abstract of the principal points to be covered in an argument or exposition often arranged by heads and subheads
such an outline as would be required of a student in freshman composition — Archer Taylor
c. : a synopsis of the plot of a projected piece of writing (as a scenario or play)
the producer gave him a sizable advance on the basis of his outline
5. : a fishing line set out overnight : trotline
Synonyms:
contour , profile , skyline , silhouette : outline applies to the line marking the outer edge or limit of a thing
the house, built of bricks, was square in outline — Elizabeth M. Roberts
series of natural valleys … flanking the western outlines of the county — F.S.Williams
the outline of Caprarola palace is a pentagon — George Kish
contour stresses the shape of a thing, or a visible or particular portion of a thing, as delineated by the outline, especially involving curving lines
the smooth, though sometimes steep, contours of the Coast Range — G.R.Stewart
glanced up at the pummeled sky and caught sight of a weird, futuristic contour — D.B.Dodson
the chart room, where the changing contours of the seabed are automatically recorded — Douglas Willis
profile stresses the sharply outlined shape of something especially as seen against a lighter background
the beautiful profile of the island — William Beebe
the mountains to the south and east fill the horizon, their profiles overlapping one another — American Guide Series: Vermont
skyline is the outline or contour of something (as the upper portion of a row of buildings or range of mountains) seen against the sky as background
gracious towers and spires make up the loveliest man-made skyline in the world — Sam Pollock
the region, with its succession of startling contours, jagged skylines, sharp pinnacles rising from mountains of solid rock — American Guide Series: Oregon
the skyline of Manhattan
silhouette is the shape of something shadowed, and therefore seen as two-dimensional, with all detail blacked out, blurred, or disregarded
the basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde thrusts a stark silhouette in the cobalt sky — Claudia Cassidy
the silhouettes of white sailboats and gray battleships — Jean Stafford
the ghostly silhouette of a submarine gliding under the railway bridge — Stewart Beach
II. transitive verb
1.
a. : to draw the outline of
outline the entire figure before beginning to draw in the features
b. : to set off the outlines of : define
gnarled stump fences outline the wide fields — American Guide Series: Vermont
a baffling network of paths outlined by a very high hedge — J.C.Swaim
c. : to discover or trace the outline of
outline the exact limits of the lake
outline the limits of Assyrian conquest
2. : to indicate the principal features or different parts of
outlining a plan for a future investigation — J.B.Conant
outlined a five-point program for business — Current Biography
• out·lin·er -nə(r) noun