plan

1 noun (C)

1 INTENTION something you have decided to do or achieve: His plan is to get a degree in economics and then work abroad for a year. | sb's best plan BrE (=the best course of action): Your best plan would be to catch a taxi - it's much too far to walk. | change your plans/a change of plan: There's been a change of plan - we're going on Monday instead. | have plans (for) (=intend to do something): We don't have any plans for the weekend - why don't you come over? | make plans (for) (=prepare for something that you intend to do): Julia's been busy making plans for her wedding.

2 METHOD/ARRANGEMENT a set of actions for achieving something in the future, especially one that has been considered carefully and in detail: the government's five-year economic plan | plan for: NASA announced plans for a new space station to be launched in 1998. | plan to do sth: Have you heard about the plan to build a new science park? | keep to/stick to a plan: If we keep to the plan the work should be completed in two weeks. | work out/draw up/devise a plan: They devised a plan to reduce costs. | a plan falls through (=it becomes impossible because something unexpected happens) | go according to plan (=happen in the way that was expected or arranged): If everything goes according to plan the first stage will be completed by December.

3 MAP a drawing similar to a map, showing roads, towns, and buildings: a street-plan of London

4 DRAWING

a) technical a drawing of a building, room, or machine as it would be seen from above, showing the shape, measurements, position of the walls etc

—compare elevation (4), section 1 (6), —see also: ground plan (1)

b) a drawing that shows exactly how something will be arranged: I have to organise a seating plan for the dinner.

5 plan of action/campaign a series of actions that you plan to carry out in order to achieve a particular thing: Get your team around a table and agree a plan of action to reach this season's targets.

6 Plan A your first plan, which you will use if things happen as you expect

7 Plan B your second plan, which you can use if things do not happen as you expect

2 verb planned, planning

1 (I, T) to think carefully about something you want to do in the future, and decide exactly how you will do it: We've been planning this visit for months - you can't cancel now. | The whole operation went exactly as planned.

(+ on): We hadn't planned on having so many guests - we'll never have enough food for them all! | plan ahead (=make plans for a long time in the future): Now that you're pregnant, you'll have to plan ahead.

2 (T) to intend to do something, especially when you have definite plans for how you will do it: plan to do sth: Josie planned to work until she had saved enough money to go to nursing school.

3 (T) to think about something you are going to make, and decide what it will be like; design 2: Planning a small garden is often difficult.

plan sth out phrasal verb (T) to plan something carefully, considering all the possible problems: I'll get the maps so we can plan out our route.