LIMN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does limn mean? 

• LIMN (verb)
  The verb LIMN has 2 senses:

1. trace the shape of

2. make a portrait of

  Familiarity information: LIMN used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LIMN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they limn    ... he / she / it limns   
Past simple: limned   
Past participle: limned   
-ing form: limning   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Trace the shape of

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

delineate; limn; outline

Hypernyms (to "limn" is one way to...):

draw (represent by making a drawing of, as with a pencil, chalk, etc. on a surface)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "limn"):

lipstick (form by tracing with lipstick)

contour (form the contours of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make a portrait of

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

depict; limn; portray

Context example:

Goya wanted to portray his mistress, the Duchess of Alba

Hypernyms (to "limn" is one way to...):

interpret; represent (create an image or likeness of)

Domain category:

art; artistic creation; artistic production (the creation of beautiful or significant things)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

limner (a painter or drawer of portraits)

 Context examples 

For an eternal second he stood in the midst of a portrait gallery, wherein she occupied the central place, while about her were limned many women, all to be weighed and measured by a fleeting glance, herself the unit of weight and measure.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)