What does "plotting" mean?

1. (secretly planning) making a secret plan to do something, especially something illegal or harmful. 2. (marking on a map or graph) marking points on a map or a graph to show where something is or how it changes. 3. (storytelling) planning the main events and sequence of a story or movie.

plotting

US //ˈpɫɑtɪŋ// UK //plˈɒtɪŋ// plot·ting

1 secretly planning (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

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

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

Example

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

Example

Intelligence agencies monitored the group for months, suspecting they were plotting a coordinated attack on the city's infrastructure.
- scheming
- conspiring
2 marking on a map or graph (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Math

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

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

Example

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

Example

After collecting the results of the experiment, the students began plotting the data points to see if a clear trend emerged.
- mapping
- charting
- graphing

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3 storytelling (v.)
C1 Advanced Academic Theatre

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

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

Example

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

Example

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