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bination of things connected and adjusted by design; a system. The appearance and outward scheme of things. Locke. Such a scheme of things as shall at once take in time and eternity. Atterbury. Arguments . . . sufficient to support and demonstrate a whole scheme of moral philosophy. J. Edwards. The Revolution came and…

Full of schemes or plans.

One who forms schemes; a projector; esp., a plotter; an intriguer. Schemers and confederates in guilt. Paley.

A second game; hence, a subsequent scheme or expedient. Wotton. Aftergame at Irish, an ancient game very nearly resembling backgammon. Beau. & Fl.

t or greater in power, rank, honor, or wealth; -- applied to persons, countries, etc. His scheme for aggrandizing his son. Prescott.

Intention; purpose; design; scheme. How oft ambitious aims are crossed! Pope.

To use some bait or artifice; to intrigue; to scheme; as, to angle for praise. The hearts of all that he did angle for. Shak.

To be on the anvil, to be in a state of discussion, formation, or preparation, as when a scheme or measure is forming, but not matured. Swift.

An artful person; a schemer. [Obs.]

An associate; a confederate or partner in any scheme. How Pennsylvania's air agrees with Quakers, And Carolina's with associators. Dryden.

e object; as, the plea in bar must avail, that is, be sufficient to defeat the suit; this scheme will not avail; medicines will not avail to check the disease. "What signs avail " Milton. Words avail very little with me, young man. Sir W. Scott.

productive; fruitless; unprofitable; empty. Brilliant but barren reveries. Prescott. Some schemes will appear barren of hints and matter. Swift.

lidity; that which is more specious than real; a false show; a cheat or fraud; a delusive scheme; an empty project; a dishonest speculation; as, the South Sea bubble. Then a soldier . . . Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon's mouth. Shak.

A kind of swindling game or scheme, by means of cards or by a sham lottery. [Written also bunco.] Bunko steerer, a person employed as a decoy in bunko. [Slang, U.S.]

le, used in the game of chess; a rook. Castle in the air, a visionary project; a baseless scheme; an air castle; -- sometimes called a castle in Spain (F. Château en Espagne).

Fig.: one who builds castles in the air or forms visionary schemes. -- Cas"tle*build`ing, n.

, to join with; to take part in; to agree to; to comply with; as, to come into a party or scheme. -- To come it ever, to hoodwink; to get the advantage of. [Colloq.] -- To come near or nigh, to approach in place or quality to be equal to. "Nothing ancient or modern seems to come near it." Sir W. Temple. -- To come of…

A scheme of equalizing the social conditions of life; specifically, a scheme which contemplates the abolition of inequalities in the possession of property, as by distributing all wealth equally to all, or by holding all wealth in common for the equal use and advantage of all.

design or plan; union formed by mutual communication of opions and viewa; accordance in a scheme; harmony; simultaneous action. All these discontens, how ruinous soever, have arisen from the want of a due communication and concert. Swift.

Mutually contrived or planned; agreed on; as, concerted schemes, signals. Concerted piece (Mus.), a composition in parts for several voices or instrument, as a trio, a quartet, etc.