contour

3 definitions found

contour - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  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 coloring and contours.       --A. Drummond.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Mil.) The outline of a horizontal section of the ground,
        or of works of fortification.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Contour feathers (Zool.), those feathers that form the
        general covering of a bird.
  
     Contour of ground (Surv.), the outline of the surface of
        ground with respect to its undulation, etc.
  
     Contour line (Topographical Suv.), the line in which a
        horizontal plane intersects a portion of ground, or the
        corresponding line in a map or chart.
        [1913 Webster]

contour - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  contour
      n 1: a line drawn on a map connecting points of equal height
           [syn: contour, contour line]
      2: any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline);
         "he could barely make out their shapes" [syn: shape,
         form, configuration, contour, conformation]
      3: a feature (or the order or arrangement of features) of
         anything having a complex structure; "the contours of the
         melody"; "it defines a major contour of this administration"
      v 1: form the contours of

contour - Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 :

  23 Moby Thesaurus words for "contour":
     broad lines, configuration, delineate, delineation, features,
     figuration, figure, framework, galbe, gestalt, limn, line,
     lineaments, lineation, lines, main features, outline, profile,
     relief, shapes, silhouette, skeleton, tournure