Meaning & use
limn
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Meanings
verbtransitiveliteraryformal
To portray or describe something in a clear, vivid way, in a picture or in words.
Grammar: Takes an object: the novelist limns a small town. It is not followed by a preposition.
Patterns
- limn something
- limn someone as something
The painter limned the harbor in a few confident strokes.
In her essay, the critic limns the emotional life of a quiet clerk.
The memoir limns the author's childhood with sharp, funny detail.
verbtransitiveliterary
To outline or trace the edges of something, so that its shape stands out.
Grammar: Often passive or used of light: a thin line of gold limned the hills.
Patterns
- be limned against something
- limn something with something
Morning light limned the mountain's rim in gold.
The branches were limned against the winter sky.
A thin line of silver limned the edge of the cloud.
Word forms
| third person singular | limns |
|---|---|
| past tense | limned |
| past participle | limned |
| -ing form | limning |
Common combinations
- limn a portrait
- The author limns a portrait of a proud old fisherman.
- limn a scene
- He limned a scene of quiet dusk.
- limned in light
- The statue was limned in pale light.
- limned against the sky
- The towers stood limned against the sky.
- limn a character
- The playwright limns each character in just a few lines.
Synonyms and how they differ
- depict
- Depict is the everyday formal verb for showing something in art or words, while limn is more poetic and suggests a delicate outline.
- portray
- Portray is usually used for showing a person or role, whereas limn works well for scenes and outlines too.
- outline
- Outline means to give the main points or edges only, while limn can also add vivid color and detail.
- delineate
- Delineate is formal and stresses precise boundaries, while limn stresses the picture-like vividness.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: limn or limb?
limn vs limb
A limb is an arm, leg or branch; limn has a silent n and means to depict.
Practice
Which sentence uses limn correctly?
Choose one answer.
Limn means to depict or outline, so a portrait with vivid detail fits. The other sentences confuse it with limb or with unrelated verbs.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “limn”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.