# plot

/ˈpɫɑt/ (US) · /plˈɒt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/plot
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. storyline

noun · CEFR B1

the series of events that make up the story of a book, film, or play.

For teachers: the sequence of events and character actions that constitute the main narrative of a literary or dramatic work.

- The film had great acting, but the plot was too complicated to follow.
- While the protagonist is well-developed, the plot relies on several unlikely coincidences that undermine the realism of the final act.

### 2. secret plan

noun · CEFR B2

a secret plan made by a group of people to do something illegal or harmful.

For teachers: a clandestine scheme or conspiracy intended to achieve an unlawful or harmful end.

- The police discovered a plot to steal the famous painting from the museum.
- Historians still debate whether the plot to overthrow the government was a genuine threat or a fabrication used to justify the subsequent crackdown.

### 3. piece of land

noun · CEFR B1

a small, measured area of land used for building a house or growing vegetables.

For teachers: a measured parcel of land, typically designated for a specific purpose such as construction, gardening, or burial.

- They bought a small plot of land in the countryside to build a holiday home.
- The developer divided the estate into twelve residential plots, each with enough space for a modest garden and a two-car garage.

### 4. graph or diagram

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a graph or map that shows information using points and lines.

For teachers: a graphical representation of data, such as a chart or diagram, produced to show the relationship between variables.

- The scientist looked at the plot of the temperature changes over the last century.
- The scatter plot revealed a strong correlation between the two variables, though several outliers required further investigation.

### 5. to plan secretly

verb · CEFR B2

to make a secret plan to do something, usually something bad.

For teachers: to devise a secret plan or conspiracy, often involving illegal or harmful actions.

- The villains were plotting to take over the city from their secret base.
- The rebels spent months plotting the escape, carefully monitoring the guards' movements to identify a window of opportunity.

### 6. to mark on a map or graph

verb · CEFR B2

to mark points on a map or a graph to show where something is or how it changes.

For teachers: to mark or trace points on a chart, map, or graph to represent data or a route.

- The captain plotted the ship's course on the map to avoid the storm.
- By plotting the coordinates of each sighting, the researchers were able to track the migratory patterns of the whale pod across the Atlantic.

## Examples

- The movie has a very exciting plot.
- The police discovered a secret plot to steal the paintings from the museum at night.
- While the characters were well-developed, the plot relied too heavily on convenient coincidences to resolve the central conflict in the final act.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.