Definition

1. Noun:

   • A systematic plan or arrangement: A structured design or method for organizing something.
   • A secret or underhanded plan; a plot: A clever, often dishonest, plan to achieve a specific goal.
   • An outline or diagram; a schematic: A simplified representation of a system or structure.

2. Verb:

   • To make plans, especially in a secretive or underhanded way: To devise a plot or strategy, often with a connotation of deceit.
   • To devise a systematic plan or arrangement: To design or organize according to a scheme.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The company introduced a new pension scheme for its employees.
  • The police uncovered a scheme to defraud investors.
  • The architect presented the color scheme for the building's interior.

• Verb:

  • They were caught scheming to take control of the company.
  • The committee is scheming a new strategy for community outreach.

Advanced Usage

• "In the grand scheme of things": When considering the larger, overall situation or perspective.

  • Losing this one game isn't important in the grand scheme of things.

• "To scheme against someone": To make secret plans to harm or outmaneuver a person.

  • He suspected his rivals were scheming against him.

Variants and Related Words

• Schemer (n): A person who engages in making secret and often dishonest plans.

  • He was known as a cunning schemer in the business world.

• Schematic (adj/n): (Adjective) Represented in simplified or symbolic form. (Noun) A diagram or plan.

  • The engineer drew a schematic of the circuit board.

Synonyms

• Noun: Plan, plot, strategy, design, system.
• Verb: Plot, conspire, plan, devise, intrigue.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Scheme on (someone/something): (Informal) To be planning something, often mischievous or underhanded, regarding a person or thing.
  • What are you scheming on now? I don't trust that look.

Related Idioms

• The best-laid schemes of mice and men (often go awry): A saying meaning that even the most carefully made plans can fail.
  • We had everything prepared, but the best-laid schemes of mice and men... the weather ruined our event.

Noun

1. a schematic or preliminary plan
2. an internal representation of the world; an organization of concepts and actions that can be revised by new information about the world
3. a group of independent but interrelated elements comprising a unified whole
   • a vast system of production and distribution and consumption keep the country going
4. a statement that evades the question by cleverness or trickery
5. an elaborate and systematic plan of action

Verb

1. devise a system or form a scheme for
2. form intrigues (for) in an underhand manner