# scheme

/ˈskim/ (US) · /skˈiːm/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. an official plan

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

an official plan or system for doing or organizing something.

For teachers: a systematic plan or arrangement for attaining some particular object or putting a particular theory into effect.

- The government introduced a new scheme to help young people buy their first home.
- The local council launched a comprehensive recycling scheme aimed at reducing landfill waste by forty percent over the next decade.

Usage: Commonly used in British English where American English might prefer 'program' or 'plan'.

### 2. a dishonest plot

noun · CEFR B2

a secret and often dishonest plan to get something for yourself.

For teachers: a clandestine or devious method of obtaining an advantage; a plot.

- He was arrested for his part in a scheme to steal money from the company.
- The investigators uncovered a complex fraudulent scheme involving offshore accounts and shell companies designed to evade federal taxes.

### 3. an arrangement

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

the way that things are arranged in a system.

For teachers: an orderly combination or arrangement of related parts or elements.

- The designer chose a bright color scheme for the new office.
- The rhyming scheme of the sonnet follows a traditional pattern that emphasizes the shift in tone during the final couplet.

### 4. housing estate

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Dialect

a large group of houses built by the local government.

For teachers: a public housing estate, typically consisting of low-income or social housing.

- He grew up on a large housing scheme on the edge of the city.
- The documentary explores the social challenges faced by residents living in the post-war schemes of Glasgow.

Teaching tip: This usage is specifically associated with Scotland and parts of Northern England.

### 5. URI protocol

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the part of a web address that tells the computer which protocol to use, like 'http'.

For teachers: the initial component of a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) that specifies the protocol or mechanism for accessing a resource.

- The 'https' scheme indicates that the connection to the website is secure.
- When parsing the URL, the application first identifies the scheme to determine which handler should process the request.

### 6. to plot

verb · CEFR B2

to make secret or dishonest plans.

For teachers: to make clandestine or devious plans, often with the intent to deceive or gain an unfair advantage.

- They were scheming to take over the business while the owner was away.
- The rival factions spent months scheming against one another, each attempting to secure the majority vote before the annual general meeting.

Usage: Often used with 'to' followed by an infinitive, or with 'against'.

## Examples

- The city started a new recycling scheme this month.
- The government launched a training scheme to help young people find jobs in the growing technology sector.
- While the architectural scheme for the new library was visually stunning, the committee questioned whether the budget could support such an ambitious structural design.

---

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.