plan

 
Pronunciation: /plan/

noun

  • 1a detailed proposal for doing or achieving something: the UN peace plan
  • [with modifier] a scheme for the regular payment of contributions towards a pension, savings account, or insurance policy: a personal pension plan
  • 2an intention or decision about what one is going to do: I have no plans to retire
  • 3a detailed map or diagram: a street plan
  • a drawing or diagram made by projection on a horizontal plane, especially one showing the layout of a building or one floor of a building. Compare with elevation (sense 3)
  • a diagram showing how something will be arranged: look at the seating plan
  • (in the Methodist Church) a document listing the preachers for all the services in a circuit during a given period.

verb (plans, planning, planned)

[with object]
  • 1decide on and make arrangements for in advance: they were planning a trip to Egypt [with infinitive]: he plans to fly on Wednesday [no object]: we plan on getting married in the near future
  • 2design or make a plan of (something to be made or built): she had planned the garden from scratch

Phrases

someone's (or the) best plan

a person’s (or the) most sensible course of action: William’s best plan would be to get a job

go according to plan

happen as one arranged or intended: if all goes according to plan, this money can be used as seed capital for a new business

make a plan

South African devise a way of overcoming difficulties: leave it to me—I’ll make a plan

plan of action (or campaign or attack)

an organized programme of measures to be taken in order to achieve a goal.

Origin:

late 17th century: from French, from earlier plant 'ground plan, plane surface', influenced in sense by Italian pianta 'plan of building'. Compare with plant