PLAN (planned, planning)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: planned    , planning   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does plan mean? 

• PLAN (noun)
  The noun PLAN has 3 senses:

1. a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished

2. an arrangement scheme

3. scale drawing of a structure

  Familiarity information: PLAN used as a noun is uncommon.

• PLAN (verb)
  The verb PLAN has 4 senses:

1. have the will and intention to carry out some action

2. make plans for something

3. make or work out a plan for; devise

4. make a design of; plan out in systematic, often graphic form

  Familiarity information: PLAN used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PLAN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

plan; program; programme

Context example:

they discussed plans for a new bond issue

Hypernyms ("plan" is a kind of...):

idea; thought (the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "plan"):

project; projection (a planned undertaking)

budget (a summary of intended expenditures along with proposals for how to meet them)

stock purchase plan (an organized plan for employees of a company to buy shares of its stock)

guideline; road map (a detailed plan or explanation to guide you in setting standards or determining a course of action)

employee savings plan (a plan that allows employees to contribute to an investment pool managed the employer)

pension account; pension plan; retirement account; retirement plan; retirement program; retirement savings account; retirement savings plan (a plan for setting aside money to be spent after retirement)

agenda; docket; schedule (a temporally organized plan for matters to be attended to)

regime; regimen ((medicine) a systematic plan for therapy (often including diet))

plan of action (a plan for actively doing something)

blueprint; design; pattern (something intended as a guide for making something else)

master plan (a long-term outline of a project or government function)

outline; schema; scheme (a schematic or preliminary plan)

audit program; audit programme (a listing of audit procedures to be performed in completing an audit)

Derivation:

plan (make plans for something)

plan (make or work out a plan for; devise)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An arrangement scheme

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

design; plan

Context example:

a plan for seating guests

Hypernyms ("plan" is a kind of...):

arrangement; organisation; organization; system (an organized structure for arranging or classifying)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "plan"):

configuration; constellation (an arrangement of parts or elements)

layout (a plan or design of something that is laid out)

snare; trap (something (often something deceptively attractive) that catches you unawares)

hotel plan; meal plan (a plan and a room rate for providing a room and meals to guests at a hotel)

Derivation:

plan (make plans for something)

plan (make or work out a plan for; devise)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Scale drawing of a structure

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

architectural plan; plan

Context example:

the plans for City Hall were on file

Hypernyms ("plan" is a kind of...):

drawing (a representation of forms or objects on a surface by means of lines)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "plan"):

floor plan (scale drawing of a horizontal section through a building at a given level; contrasts with elevation)

elevation (drawing of an exterior of a structure)

Derivation:

plan (make a design of; plan out in systematic, often graphic form)

• PLAN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they plan    ... he / she / it plans   
Past simple: planned   
Past participle: planned   
-ing form: planning   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Have the will and intention to carry out some action

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

be after; plan

Context example:

The rebels had planned turmoil and confusion

Hypernyms (to "plan" is one way to...):

intend; mean; think (have in mind as a purpose)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "plan"):

think out (consider carefully and rationally)

aim; aspire; draw a bead on; shoot for (have an ambitious plan or a lofty goal)

go for; hope (intend with some possibility of fulfilment)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s VERB-ing

Sentence example:

They plan to move

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make plans for something

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

He is planning a trip with his family

Hypernyms (to "plan" is one way to...):

cerebrate; cogitate; think (use or exercise the mind or one's power of reason in order to make inferences, decisions, or arrive at a solution or judgments)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "plan"):

schedule (plan for an activity or event)

schedule (make a schedule; plan the time and place for events)

lay out (provide a detailed plan or design)

direct; engineer; mastermind; orchestrate; organise; organize (plan and direct (a complex undertaking))

designate; destine; intend; specify (design or destine)

scheme (devise a system or form a scheme for)

plot (plan secretly, usually something illegal)

compose; draw up; frame (make up plans or basic details for)

project; propose (present for consideration, examination, criticism, etc.)

chart (plan in detail)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s VERB-ing

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue plan the movie

Derivation:

planner (a person who makes plans)

planning (an act of formulating a program for a definite course of action)

planner (a notebook for recording appointments and things to be done, etc.)

plan (a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished)

plan (an arrangement scheme)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make or work out a plan for; devise

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

contrive; design; plan; project

Context example:

plan an attack

Hypernyms (to "plan" is one way to...):

create by mental act; create mentally (create mentally and abstractly rather than with one's hands)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "plan"):

plot (devise the sequence of events in (a literary work or a play, movie, or ballet))

concert (contrive (a plan) by mutual agreement)

map; map out (plan, delineate, or arrange in detail)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

They plan to move

Derivation:

plan (an arrangement scheme)

plan (a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished)

planner (a person who makes plans)

planning (the cognitive process of thinking about what you will do in the event of something happening)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Make a design of; plan out in systematic, often graphic form

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

design; plan

Context example:

plan the new wing of the museum

Hypernyms (to "plan" is one way to...):

create by mental act; create mentally (create mentally and abstractly rather than with one's hands)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "plan"):

engineer (design as an engineer)

redesign (design anew, make a new design for)

blueprint; draft; draught (make a blueprint of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

plan (scale drawing of a structure)

planner (a person who makes plans)

planning (the act or process of drawing up plans or layouts for some project or enterprise)

 Context examples 

A treatment planning approach in which a number of doctors who are experts in different specialties (disciplines) review and discuss the medical condition and treatment options of a patient.

(Multidisciplinary opinion, NCI Dictionary)

The plan of 'going over' was not forgotten.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

In medicine, a term used to describe a treatment planning approach or team that includes a number of doctors and other health care professionals who are experts in different specialties (disciplines).

(Multidisciplinary, NCI Dictionary)

Specifies whether a planned or preestablished event or activity did not occur.

(Missed Indicator, NCI Thesaurus)

I have already planned how it is to be made and attached.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) Does the patient believe that family members plan to abandon him/her?

(NPI - Family Members Plan to Abandon Him/Her, NCI Thesaurus)

Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) Does the patient say that he/she is worried about planned events?

(NPI - Say That He/She is Worried About Planned Events, NCI Thesaurus)

Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) Does the patient believe that he/she is in danger (NPI) that others are planning to hurt him/her?

(NPI - He/She is in Danger, NCI Thesaurus)

You choose the drug plan you like best.

(Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)

Most treatment plans may include surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy.

(Cancer, NIH: National Cancer Institute)