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Outline vs Summary - What's the difference?

outline | summary |

Summary is a synonym of outline.



As nouns the difference between outline and summary

is that outline is a line marking the boundary of an object figure while summary is an abstract or a condensed presentation of the substance of a body of material.

As a verb outline

is to draw an outline of something.

As an adjective summary is

concise, brief or presented in a condensed form.

outline

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A line marking the boundary of an object figure.
  • The outer shape of an object or figure.
  • A sketch or drawing in which objects are delineated in contours without shading.
  • * Dryden
    • Painters, by their outlines , colours, lights, and shadows, represent the same in their pictures.
  • A general description of some subject.
  • A statement summarizing the important points of a text.
  • A preliminary plan for a project.
    • the outline of a speech
  • (film industry) A prose telling of a story intended to be turned into a screenplay; generally longer and more detailed than a treatment.

    • See also

    * silhouette

    Verb

    (outlin)
  • (lb) To draw an outline of something.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham)
    • , title=(The China Governess) , chapter=Foreword citation , passage=He stood transfixed before the unaccustomed view of London at night time, a vast panorama which reminded him […] of some wood engravings far off and magical, in a printshop in his childhood. They dated from the previous century and were coarsely printed on tinted paper, with tinsel outlining the design.}}
  • (lb) To summarize something.
  • :
  • *
  • *:At her invitation he outlined for her the succeeding chapters with terse military accuracy?; and what she liked best and best understood was avoidance of that false modesty which condescends, turning technicality into pabulum.

    • Anagrams

    * *

    summary

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Concise, brief or presented in a condensed form
    • A summary review is in the appendix.
  • Performed speedily and without formal ceremony.
    • They used summary executions to break the resistance of the people.
  • (legal) Performed by cutting the procedures of a standard and fair trial.
    • Summary justice is bad justice.

    Noun

    (wikipedia summary) (summaries)
  • An abstract or a condensed presentation of the substance of a body of material.

    • Synonyms

    * upshot, bottom line, short form (slang)

    Derived terms

    * executive summary * management summary