scheme

(skēm)
n.

1. A systematic plan of action: "Did you ever carry out your scheme of writing a series of sonnets embodying all the great epochs of art?" (Edith Wharton).
2. A secret or devious plan; a plot. See synonyms at plan.
3. An orderly combination of related parts: an irrigation scheme with dams, reservoirs, and channels.
4. A chart, diagram, or outline of a system or object.

v., schemed, schem·ing, schemes.

v.tr.

1. To plot: scheming their revenge.
2. To contrive a plan or scheme for.

v.intr.
To make plans, especially secret or devious ones.

[Latin schēma, figure, from Greek skhēma.]

schemer schem'er n.

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A LISP dialect developed at MIT and Indiana University. TI developed a personal computer version of Scheme called "PC Scheme." See Script-Fu.

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List of addresses, by street name, number, and directional, that constitute a carrier route. See also carrier route information system.

noun

1. A method for making, doing, or accomplishing something: blueprint, design, game plan, idea, layout, plan, project, schema, strategy. See planned/unplanned.
2. A secret plan to achieve an evil or illegal end: cabal, collusion, connivance, conspiracy, intrigue, machination, plot. See crimes, planned/unplanned.

verb

1. To work out a secret plan to achieve an evil or illegal end: collude, connive, conspire, intrigue, machinate, plot. See crimes, planned/unplanned.
2. To form a strategy for: blueprint, cast, chart, conceive, contrive, design, devise, formulate, frame, lay¹, plan, project, strategize, work out. Informal dope out. Idioms: lay plans. See planned/unplanned.

scheme, a term once used for a rhetorical figure (or figure of speech), usually one that departs from the normal order or sound of words but does not extended their meanings as a trope does. Some rhetoricians, however, have used the term to cover tropes as well.

1. The basic arrangement of an architectural composition.
2. Preliminary sketch for a design.

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IN BRIEF: A person who plans or plots, often with bad intentions.

Violence does, in truth, recoil upon the violent, and the schemer falls into the pit which he digs for another. — Arthur Conan Doyle Sr. (1859-1930), Scottish writer, creator of the detective Sherlock Holmes.

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For a list of words related to scheme, see:

• Rhetoric and Figures of Speech - scheme: rearrangement of words for effect of changed sound
• Strategy and Tactics - scheme: cunning, usu. secret plan of action

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See words rhyming with "schemer."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Scheme.

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - plan, system, forslag, orden, ordning, intrige
v. tr. - planlægge, lægge planer om
v. intr. - smede rænker

idioms:

• scheme of things    verdensorden, tingenes orden

Nederlands (Dutch)
samenzweren, plannen smeden, intrigeren, opzet, plan, list, complot

Français (French)
n. - (GB, Admin) système, projet, plan (péj), combine, plan (d'une maison)
v. tr. - comploter, machiner
v. intr. - comploter (pour faire, contre qn)

idioms:

• the scheme of things    situation dans son ensemble

Deutsch (German)
n. - Schema, Programm, Projekt, Intrige
v. - Pläne schmieden, Komplott aushecken

idioms:

• the scheme of things    Gegebenheiten

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - διάταξη, σχέδιο, σκευωρία, πρόγραμμα, (καθομ.) κομπίνα
v. - σκευωρώ

idioms:

• scheme of things    η τάξη των πραγμάτων

Italiano (Italian)
tramare, progettare, programmare, complottare, schema, astuzia

idioms:

• scheme of things    ordine delle cose

Português (Portuguese)
n. - plano (m), intriga (f), disposição (f)
v. - fazer planos

idioms:

• scheme of things    o plano integral

Русский (Russian)
план, проект, программа, структура, тайный или нечестный замысел, махинация, конспект, резюме, чертеж, пустые мечты, веселый кутеж, замышлять (недоброе), планировать, сводить к схеме

idioms:

• scheme of things    порядок вещей, уклад жизни, мироустройство

Español (Spanish)
n. - esquema, combinación, programa, proyecto, ardid, estratagema, bosquejo, diseño
v. tr. - tramar, proyectar, idear, trazar
v. intr. - intrigar, formar planes o designios

idioms:

• the scheme of things    el plan general, esquemas, proyectos, la situación en su conjunto

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - system, schema, ordning, plan, förslag, projekt, utkast, anslag, listig plan, översikt, diagram, horoskop
v. - göra upp planer, planera, planlägga, intrigera, stämpla, smida ränker

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
方案, 图谋, 体制, 计划, 策划, 密谋, 设计, 拟订计划, 搞阴谋

idioms:

• scheme of things    格局

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 方案, 圖謀, 體制
v. tr. - 計劃, 策劃, 密謀, 設計
v. intr. - 擬訂計劃, 搞陰謀

idioms:

• scheme of things    格局

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 계획, 음모 , 조직
v. tr. - ~을 계획하다, ~의 음모를 꾸미다, 꾀하다
v. intr. - 계획을 세우다, ~을 꾀하다, 책동하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 計画, 計略, 組織, 概要, 図式, 天象図, 案, 図表
v. - 計画する, たくらむ

idioms:

• scheme of things    当然

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) خطه, برنامج (فعل) يرسم, يخطط‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮תוכנית, שיטה, סכימה, סידור שיטתי מוצע, תוכנית-לימודים, מתווה, תחבולה, מזימה‬
v. tr. - ‮תכנן‬
v. intr. - ‮תכנן בחשאי, תחבל, זמם‬

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