Ruminations.
Where does the word "outline" come from?
"Outline" as a noun meaning "lines delineating a figure" comes from Old Englishut, "outside," and either Old English lin, "linen," or Latin linum, "linen," appearing in the 1660s according to etymonline, but in 1648 according to the oxford english dictionary. By 1759 it acquires the meaning "rough draft in words;" by 1850, "the representation of a word in shorthand;" and by 1890 it is being used as a type of baited line (a "set-line") in fishing. The verb meaning "to draw in outline" comes from the noun, appearing in 1762. By 1847 it also means "to describe generally." The OED lists 11 different meanings for the word - 7 nouns and 4 verbs. The earliest written use of the noun is in 1648, in the writings of one mysterious T. I.; of the verb, around 1790, in the writings of John_Imison, printer and clockmaker. Links.NightCafe Image Source