scheme

scheme¹ W1 [ski:m] n

[Date: 1500-1600; : Latin; Origin: schema 'arrangement, figure', from Greek, from echein 'to have, hold, be in a condition']

1.) BrE an official plan that is intended to help people in some way, for example by providing education or training

American Equivalent: program

▪ The money will be used for teacher training schemes.

▪ a pension scheme

scheme for

▪ schemes for two new cross-city lines

scheme to do sth

▪ a new scheme to boost exports

pilot scheme

(=something that is done on a small scale in order to see if it is successful enough to be done on a larger scale)

▪ The pilot scheme proved to be a great success.

2.) a clever plan, especially to do something that is bad or illegal - used in order to show disapproval

▪ a get-rich-quick scheme

scheme to do sth

▪ a scheme to pass false cheques

3.) a system that you use to organize information, ideas etc

▪ a classification scheme

4.) in the scheme of things

in the way things generally happen, or are organized

▪ the unimportance of man in the whole scheme of things

→↑colour scheme

scheme ²

scheme² v

to secretly make clever and dishonest plans to get or achieve something

scheme to do sth

▪ She schemed to kill him with poison.

scheme against

▪ He became aware that people were scheming against him and called an emergency meeting.

▪ She's nothing but a lying, scheming little monster!

>schemer[i] n