Delineate (Verb)
Meaning 1
Describe in vivid detail.
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The painter used bold brushstrokes to delineate the contours of the majestic mountain range in her breathtaking landscape painting.
- With vivid descriptions, the author attempted to delineate the intricate world of a fantasy realm in his bestselling novel.
- The geographer's detailed maps helped to delineate the geographic boundaries between the various regions of the large country.
- The historian used historical accounts to delineate the pivotal events leading up to the outbreak of the war.
- In her detailed report, the scientist used diagrams to delineate the inner workings of the complex mechanical device.
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Meaning 2
Trace the shape of.
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.
Examples
- The drawing instructor guided the students to delineate the outline of the still-life composition on their sketchpads.
- A faint pencil line was used to delineate the border of the garden on the architectural blueprint.
- A string lined up with stakes to delineate the corners of the rectangular patio in the yard.
- She gently used her fingers to delineate the shape of the face on the lump of modeling clay.
- A row of small rocks was used to delineate the edge of the flowerbed from the adjacent lawn.
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Meaning 3
Make a mark or lines on a surface; "draw a line"; "trace the outline of a figure in the sand".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The artist used a pencil to delineate the features of her portrait subject on the canvas.
- She used her finger to delineate a heart shape in the fog on the windowpane.
- To show the border between the two countries, the mapmaker used a thick line to delineate the separate territories.
- The tailor used chalk to delineate the pattern for the custom dress on the fabric.
- The ancient civilization used stones to delineate paths for travelers through the vast desert.
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Meaning 4
Show the form or outline of; "The tree was clearly defined by the light"; "The camera could define the smallest object".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- The bright sunlight helped delineate the intricate features of the forest landscape.
- The city's architecture expert used a detailed map to delineate the original town boundaries.
- Her research focused on finding ways to delineate the symptoms of the rare disease.
- The ultrasound scan could delineate the precise location of the tumor within the patient's liver.
- Using satellite imagery, scientists are able to delineate the rapidly changing patterns of ice cover on the polar caps.
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Meaning 5
Determine the essential quality of.
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- The scientific community aimed to delineate the essential quality of human consciousness that sets us apart from other living beings.
- Physicists tried to delineate the specific characteristics of dark matter to develop a better understanding of its properties.
- Social scientists worked to delineate the underlying quality that made successful entrepreneurs tick, hoping to replicate the results.
- To better understand human emotions, researchers sought to delineate the key element that triggers feelings of nostalgia.
- In their study, the authors attempted to delineate the defining quality of outstanding leaders in high-pressure work environments.