ˈpɪktʃə n. & v. --n. 1 a (often attrib.) a
painting,
drawing,
photograph,
etc.,
esp. as a
work of art (picture frame). b a
portrait, esp. a photograph, of a
person (does
not like to
have her picture taken). c a
beautiful object (her
hat is a picture). 2 a a
total visual or
mental impression produced; a
scene (the picture looks bleak). b a
written or
spoken description (drew a
vivid picture of
moral decay). 3 a a
film. b (in pl.)
Brit. a
showing of films at a
cinema (went to
the pictures). c (in pl.) films in
general. 4 an
image on a
television screen. 5 colloq. a esp.
iron. a person or
thing exemplifying
something (he
was the picture of innocence). b a person or thing resembling
another closely (the picture of her aunt). --v.tr. 1
represent in a picture. 2 (also refl.;
often foll. by to)
imagine, esp. visually or vividly (pictured it to herself). 3
describe graphically. øget the picture colloq.
grasp the
tendency or
drift of circumstances,
information, etc. in the picture
fully informed or noticed.
out of the picture
uninvolved,
inactive;
irrelevant. picture-book a
book containing
many illustrations. picture-card a court-card. picture-gallery a
place containing an
exhibition or
collection of pictures. picture-goer a person
who frequents the cinema. picture hat a woman's wide-brimmed
highly decorated hat as in pictures by Reynolds
and Gainsborough. picture-moulding 1
woodwork etc. used
for framing pictures. 2 a rail on a
wall used for
hanging pictures
from. picture-palace (or -theatre) Brit.
archaic a cinema. picture
postcard a postcard
with a picture on
one side. picture
window a
very large window consisting of one
pane of
glass. picture-writing a
mode of
recording events etc. by
pictorial symbols as in
early hieroglyphics etc. [ME f. L pictura f. pingere pictpaint]