design

plural designs

1. countableuncountableA specification of an object or process, referring to requirements to be satisfied and thus conditions to be met for them to solve a problem.

   The Wikilambda developers charmingly admit that they are not very experienced in language design.

   2026, Michael Falk, “Wikilambda the ultimate: the Wikimedia foundation’s search for the perfect language”, in AI & Society: Knowledge, Culture and Communication, →DOI

2. countableuncountableA plan (with more or less detail) for the structure and functions of an artifact, building or system.

   The initial design of the park was rejected for being too expensive.

   1 more example

   Where it had been left hundreds of years ago, / Extract from the depth, is but a setting sun, / Paradise is scarce in this light that won’t shine, / What is our earthly task, but a worthy design?

   1999, Lætitia Sadier, “The Free Design”, in Tim Gane (music), Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night, performed by Stereolab

   Synonyms: diagram

3. countableuncountableA pattern, as an element of a work of art or architecture.

   We're working on some new designs for our range of summer shirts

4. countableuncountableThe composition of a work of art.
5. countableuncountableIntention or plot.

   To be hateful of the truth by design.

   5 more examples

   We have designs on winning the league next season.

   At length, one night, when the company by ſome accident broke up much ſooner than ordinary, ſo that the candles were not half burnt out, ſhe was not able to reſiſt the temptation, but reſolved to have them ſome way or other. Accordingly, as ſoon as the hurry was over, and the ſervants, as ſhe thought, all gone to ſleep, ſhe ſtole out of her bed, and went down ſtairs, naked to her ſhift as ſhe was, with a deſign to ſteal them […]

   1762, Charles Johnstone, The Reverie; or, A Flight to the Paradise of Fools, volume 2, Dublin: Printed by Dillon Chamberlaine, →OCLC, page 202

   I give it you without any other design than to shew you that I reckon nothing dear to me, when I want to do you a pleasure.

   1763, Antoine-Simon Le Page du Pratz, History of Louisisana, PG, page 40

   "They say if anyone's best man more than ten times, he'll never be married. I wanted to be for the tenth time, but the post was taken," said Count Siniavin to the pretty Princess Tcharskaya, who had designs on him.

   1901 [1878], chapter 5, in Constance Garnett, transl., Anna Karenina, translation of Анна Каренина (Anna Karenina) by Leo Tolstoy, part 5

   Lisicki will rise from her current ranking of 62 to at least 35 in the world on the back of her efforts at the All England Club, but she will have serious designs on a first Grand Slam title after overcoming the 2007 runner-up.

   2011 June 28, Piers Newbery, “Wimbledon 2011: Sabine Lisicki beats Marion Bartoli”, in BBC Sport

6. countableuncountableThe shape or appearance given to an object, especially one that is intended to make it more attractive.

   He turned back to the scene before him and the enormous new block of council dwellings. The design was some way after Corbusier but the block was built up on plinths and resembled an Atlantic liner swimming diagonally across the site.

   1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC

7. countableuncountableThe art of designing

   Danish furniture design is world-famous.

present singular third person designs · participle present designing · participle past designed · past designed · first person past singular designed · archaic present second person singular designest · past second person singular designed · archaic past second person singular designedst · present singular third person designs · archaic present singular third person designeth · past singular third person designed · past plural designed · past subjunctive designed · participle present designing · participle past designed

1. transitiveTo plan and carry out (a picture, work of art, construction etc.).First known use 17th c.

   comments designed to chip away at my self-esteem

   3 more examples

   He always designs gaming laptops from 4:00 pm to 1:00 am.

   She designed his retirement from the Royal Irish Artillery, and had negociated an immediate berth for him on the Staff of the Commander of the Forces, and a prospective one in the household of Lord Townshend […]

   1863, Sheridan Le Fanu, The House by the Churchyard

   The huge square box, parquet-floored and high-ceilinged, had been arranged to display a suite of bedroom furniture designed and made in the halcyon days of the last quarter of the nineteenth century, when modish taste was just due to go clean out of fashion for the best part of the next hundred years.

   1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 1, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC

2. intransitiveobsoleteTo plan (to do something).

   The king designed to mount an expedition to the New World.

3. obsoletetransitiveTo assign, appoint (something to someone); to designate.First known use 16th–19th c.

   He was designed to the study of the law.

   1700, John Dryden, Translations from Ovid's Epistles, Preface

   1 more example

   he looks not below the Moon, but hath designed the regiment of sublunary affairs unto inferiour deputations.

   1646, Thomas Browne, chapter I, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], London: […] T[homas] H[arper] for Edward Dod, […], →OCLC, 1st book, page 10

4. obsoletetransitiveTo mark out and exhibit; to designate; to indicate; to show; to point out; to appoint.
5. To manifest requirements to be satisfied by an object or process for them to solve a problem.

   We shall see / Justice design the victor's chivalry.

   1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]

   1 more example

   Meet me to-morrow where the master / And this fraternity shall design.

   1616–1619 (first performance), John Fletcher, Philip Massinger, Nathan Field, “The Knight of Malta”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act I, scene iii