Past tense of plot, meaning to secretly plan something (often illegal or harmful), or to mark points on a graph or map. Can also mean to devise the main story of a narrative work.
From Old French 'complot' meaning 'crowd' or 'secret plan,' possibly related to 'pelote' meaning 'ball' (as in a ball of yarn, suggesting tangled schemes). The graphing sense developed in the 17th century from the idea of marking out land plots.
Plot beautifully demonstrates how the same mental process - carefully planning and marking out steps toward a goal - applies whether you're charting a course, writing a story, or scheming against enemies. All plotting involves connecting dots to create a pattern that leads somewhere specific.
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