—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.
Phrases and idioms:
get 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.
Etymology: ME f. L pictura f. pingere pict- paint
Useful english dictionary. 2012.