plotting

v. making a secret plan to do something, especially something illegal or harmful.

v. engaging in a secret scheme or conspiracy to achieve a specific, often nefarious, goal.

“The villains were plotting to steal the crown jewels from the museum.”

“Intelligence agencies monitored the group for months, suspecting they were plotting a coordinated attack on the city's infrastructure.”

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

v. the act of marking coordinates or data points on a chart, map, or graph to illustrate a path or relationship.

“The captain spent the evening plotting the ship's course on a paper map.”

“After collecting the results of the experiment, the students began plotting the data points to see if a clear trend emerged.”

v. planning the main events and sequence of a story or movie.

v. the process of devising the sequence of events and narrative structure for a literary or cinematic work.

“The author spent weeks plotting the mystery before she wrote the first chapter.”

“Successful novelists often spend more time plotting the intricate twists of their thrillers than they do on the actual drafting process.”

Academic