limn

verb

ˈlim

limned; limning ˈli-miŋ How to pronounce limn (audio)

ˈlim-niŋ

transitive verb

: to draw or paint on a surface

The artist limned a portrait.

: to outline in clear sharp detail : delineate

he was limned by a streetlight

Stephen Coonts

: describe

the novel limns the frontier life of the settlers

limner

ˈli-mər

ˈlim-nər

noun

Did you know?

Allow us to shed some light on the history of limn, a word with lustrous origins. Limn traces to the Anglo-French verb aluminer and ultimately to the Latin illuminare, which means "to illuminate." Its use as an English verb dates from the days of Middle English; at first, limn referred to the action of illuminating (that is, decorating) medieval manuscripts with gold, silver, or brilliant colors. William Shakespeare extended the term to painting in his poem Venus and Adonis: "Look when a painter would surpass the life / In limning out a well-proportioned steed...."

Example Sentences

he limned the scene in the courtroom so perfectly I could practically see it

Recent Examples on the Web The adjacent desperations of the Emory family are meant to limn the material and psychological effects of living under the threat of anti-Blackness in America.

Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2021 Nonetheless, Democrats want to be perceived as favoring virtually universal suffrage, and to limn their conservative and Republican opposition as favoring vote suppression.

Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 3 Nov. 2020 Her poems, which have appeared in The New Yorker for over thirty years, limn the legacies of history, in her home country and beyond, and reckon especially with the repression of women’s accomplishments, realities, and inner lives.

Hannah Aizenman, The New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2020 Also stuffed not inelegantly between the microcosmic doings are several larger incidents that limn the bloody and brutal history of the two centuries, including South American totalitarianism, European pogroms and the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina.

Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2020 Every eloquent expanse of empty wall is limned by a trill of thin stripes defining doorjambs, drawn curtains and window frames.

Washington Post, 28 Nov. 2019 Poupaud’s extraordinary performance here limns the ambiguity of men who are not gay with those who felt gay after their abuse.

Armond White, National Review, 18 Oct. 2019 The politics of illness—how the profit motive determines life and damage and death; how victim blaming is enshrined; how social norms can disable and kill—have rarely been limned with such clarity and grace.

Lidija Haas, Harper's magazine, 28 Oct. 2019 Yet each bears Becker’s stamp, with impeccably precise narratives, mise-en-scènes of documentary accuracy, and characters both well-limned and inordinately sympathetic.

David Mermelstein, WSJ, 1 Aug. 2018 See More

单词	limns
释义	limn verb ˈlim limned; limning ˈli-miŋ ˈlim-niŋ transitive verb 1 : to draw or paint on a surface The artist limned a portrait. 2 : to outline in clear sharp detail : delineate he was limned by a streetlight Stephen Coonts 3 : describe the novel limns the frontier life of the settlers limner ˈli-mər ˈlim-nər noun Did you know? Allow us to shed some light on the history of limn, a word with lustrous origins. Limn traces to the Anglo-French verb aluminer and ultimately to the Latin illuminare, which means "to illuminate." Its use as an English verb dates from the days of Middle English; at first, limn referred to the action of illuminating (that is, decorating) medieval manuscripts with gold, silver, or brilliant colors. William Shakespeare extended the term to painting in his poem Venus and Adonis: "Look when a painter would surpass the life / In limning out a well-proportioned steed...." Synonyms delineate depict describe draw image paint picture portray render set out sketch See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences he limned the scene in the courtroom so perfectly I could practically see it Recent Examples on the Web The adjacent desperations of the Emory family are meant to limn the material and psychological effects of living under the threat of anti-Blackness in America. Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2021 Nonetheless, Democrats want to be perceived as favoring virtually universal suffrage, and to limn their conservative and Republican opposition as favoring vote suppression. Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 3 Nov. 2020 Her poems, which have appeared in The New Yorker for over thirty years, limn the legacies of history, in her home country and beyond, and reckon especially with the repression of women’s accomplishments, realities, and inner lives. Hannah Aizenman, The New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2020 Also stuffed not inelegantly between the microcosmic doings are several larger incidents that limn the bloody and brutal history of the two centuries, including South American totalitarianism, European pogroms and the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2020 Every eloquent expanse of empty wall is limned by a trill of thin stripes defining doorjambs, drawn curtains and window frames. Washington Post, 28 Nov. 2019 Poupaud’s extraordinary performance here limns the ambiguity of men who are not gay with those who felt gay after their abuse. Armond White, National Review, 18 Oct. 2019 The politics of illness—how the profit motive determines life and damage and death; how victim blaming is enshrined; how social norms can disable and kill—have rarely been limned with such clarity and grace. Lidija Haas, Harper's magazine, 28 Oct. 2019 Yet each bears Becker’s stamp, with impeccably precise narratives, mise-en-scènes of documentary accuracy, and characters both well-limned and inordinately sympathetic. David Mermelstein, WSJ, 1 Aug. 2018 See More Word History Etymology Middle English limnen to illuminate (a manuscript), probably back-formation from lymnour illuminator, alteration of lumenur, from Anglo-French aluminer, enluminer to illuminate, ultimately from Latin illuminare First Known Use 1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1 limns verb present tense third-person singular of limn as in describes to give a representation or account of in words he limned the scene in the courtroom so perfectly I could practically see it Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance describes portrays depicts paints delineates renders characterizes illustrates recounts outlines defines sets out sketches summarizes narrates relates draws images represents pictures demonstrates suggests displays traces tells recites exhibits shows vignettes labels qualifies reports hints silhouettes rehearses sums up drafts reimages redescribes touches off Antonyms & Near Antonyms distorts misrepresents misstates colors warps falsifies twists garbles perverts misdescribes See More
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limn

verb

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Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

verb