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Definition of outline verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

outline

verb
 
/ˈaʊtlaɪn/
 
/ˈaʊtlaɪn/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they outline
 
/ˈaʊtlaɪn/
 
/ˈaʊtlaɪn/
he / she / it outlines
 
/ˈaʊtlaɪnz/
 
/ˈaʊtlaɪnz/
past simple outlined
 
/ˈaʊtlaɪnd/
 
/ˈaʊtlaɪnd/
past participle outlined
 
/ˈaʊtlaɪnd/
 
/ˈaʊtlaɪnd/
-ing form outlining
 
/ˈaʊtlaɪnɪŋ/
 
/ˈaʊtlaɪnɪŋ/
jump to other results
  1. to give a description of the main facts or points involved in something synonym sketch
    • outline something He outlined his plan to leave St. Petersburg.
    • The briefing document outlined her family history and background.
    • The cause of the crash is clearly outlined in the report.
    • outline something to somebody We outlined our proposals to the committee.
    • outline what, how, etc… Let me outline what I have in mind.
    • outline something + adv./prep. For the reasons outlined above, unemployment is likely to remain high.
    • The Government is expected to outline its strategy at talks today.
    Extra Examples
    • He roughly outlined the plot of the opera.
    • She outlined to Mona the details of her mother's relationship.
    • Let me briefly outline what we are trying to achieve.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • briefly
    • clearly
    • roughly
    verb + outline
    • attempt to
    • seek to
    • try to
    preposition
    • to
    See full entry
  2. [usually passive] to show or mark the outer edge of something
    • outlined against something They saw the huge building outlined against the sky.
See outline in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee outline in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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