Meaning & use
design
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Meanings
nouncountable
A plan or drawing showing how something will look and work before it is made.
Grammar: Takes an or the: the design of the bridge.
Patterns
- a design for something
- the design of something
The architect showed us a design for the new library.
The design of the phone makes it easy to hold.
She submitted three designs to the competition.
noununcountable
The art or process of planning how things should look and work.
Grammar: Without an article: she studies design.
He studied graphic design at college.
Good design makes tools easier to use.
nouncountable
A decorative pattern.
Grammar: Counts like other nouns: a floral design.
Patterns
- a design on something
The plates have a blue flower design.
The design on the carpet is faded.
verbtransitive
To plan and create how something will look and work.
Grammar: Takes an object: design a website.
Patterns
- design something
- design something for someone
- design something to do something
She designs furniture for a small company.
The tool was designed to open tight jars.
They designed the course for beginners.
Word forms
| plural | designs |
|---|---|
| third person singular | designs |
| past tense | designed |
| past participle | designed |
| -ing form | designing |
Common combinations
- graphic design
- She works in graphic design.
- by design
- The gap was left by design.
- product design
- Product design affects how people use things.
- design flaw
- A design flaw caused the problem.
- intelligent design
- The phrase is often debated in schools.
Synonyms and how they differ
- plan
- Is a general scheme for doing anything, not just making objects.
- blueprint
- Is a detailed technical plan, often for buildings or machines.
- pattern
- Is a repeated decoration rather than a plan for making something.
- devise
- Is a verb meaning to invent a method or plan, not necessarily to shape something visually.
Word family
- designer noun
- a person who plans how things look or work
- designated adjective
- officially chosen for a purpose
- designing noun
- the activity of creating plans
Commonly confused: design or desire?
design vs desire
Desire is a strong wish, not a plan.
Practice
The software was ___ to be easy for older users.
Choose one answer.
The passive was designed to is needed. Designing, designs and design cannot follow was in this structure.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “design”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.