contour

contour
/kon"toor/, n.
1. the outline of a figure or body; the edge or line that defines or bounds a shape or object.
2. See contour line.
3. Phonet. a distinctive pattern of changes in pitch, stress, or tone extending across all or part of an utterance, esp. across a sentence, and contributing to meaning.
v.t.
4. to mark with contour lines.
5. to make or form the contour or outline of.
6. to build (a road, railroad track, etc.) in conformity with the contour of the land.
7. to mold or shape so as to fit a certain configuration: cars with seats that are contoured for comfort.
adj.
8. molded or shaped to fit a particular contour or form: contour seats.
9. Agric. of or used in a system of plowing, cultivating, sowing, etc., along the contour lines of the land in order to trap water runoff and prevent erosion.
[1655-65; < F, equiv. to con- CON- + tour a turn (see TOUR), modeled on It contorno, deriv. of contornare to outline; see TURN]
Syn. 1. configuration, form, boundary.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • contour — [ kɔ̃tur ] n. m. • v. 1200 « enceinte »; de contourner, avec infl. de l it. contorno 1 ♦ (1651) Limite extérieure d un objet, d un corps. ⇒ bord, bordure, délinéament, limite, périmètre, périphérie, 3. tour. Le contour d une table, d un tapis.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Contour — may refer to: an outline or silhouette a contour line on a contour map, or the corresponding line on the ground or sea bed Contour (linguistics), a phonetic sound Pitch contour (music), a melody shape Contour (camera system), a 3D digital camera… …   Wikipedia

  • CONTOUR — antes del lanzamiento Organización NASA Estado Perdido en el espacio …   Wikipedia Español

  • contour — [kän′to͞or΄] n. [Fr < It contorno < LL contornare, to go around < L com , intens. + tornare, to turn in a lathe: see TURN] 1. the outline of a figure, mass, land, etc. 2. the representation of such an outline vt. 1. to make a contour or… …   English World dictionary

  • contour — CONTOUR. subs. masc. Terme de Peinture et de Sculpture. Ce qui termine une figure, ou les parties d une figure. Un beau contour. Le contour de cette figure est admirable. De beaux contours. Des contours hardis, bien entendus. Des contours élégans …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • Contour — Con*tour , n. [F. contour, fr. contourner to mark the outlines; con + tourner to turn. See {Turn}.] 1. The outline of a figure or body, or the line or lines representing such an outline; the line that bounds; periphery. [1913 Webster] Titian s… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • contour — 1660s, a term in painting and sculpture, from Fr. contour circumference, outline, from It. and M.L. contornare to go around, from L. com , intensive prefix (see COM (Cf. com )), + tornare to turn on a lathe, from tornus lathe (see TURN (Cf.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • contour — Contour. s. m. Terme de Peinture & de Sculpture. Ce qui termine une figure, & les parties d une figure, & leur donne le tour qu elles doivent avoir. Un beau contour. le contour de cette figure est admirable. de beaux contours. des contours hardis …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Contour — Contour, der Abriß oder Umriß von Bildern, Gebäuden oder andern Dingen, die durch ihre Gestalt in die Augen fallen. Bildlich wendet man es auch z. B. auf Wissenschaften an; und der Contour einer solchen müßte ihren Umfang und Inhalt so darstellen …   Damen Conversations Lexikon

  • contour — ► NOUN 1) an outline, especially one representing or bounding the shape or form of something. 2) (also contour line) a line on a map joining points of equal height above or below sea level. ► VERB 1) mould into a specific shape. 2) (contoured)… …   English terms dictionary

  • Contour — (fr., spr. Kongtuhr, ital. Contorno), Umriß, Linien, durch welche bei Zeichnungen die äußeren Umrisse der Figuren u. Gegenstände bestimmt werden; davon Contonriren, die Umrisse der Figuren zeichnen. Von der Richtigkeit der C. hängt im Allgemeinen …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

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