limn

limn
    v 1: trace the shape of [syn: {delineate}, {limn}, {outline}]
    2: make a portrait of; "Goya wanted to portray his mistress, the
       Duchess of Alba" [syn: {portray}, {depict}, {limn}]
    

Limn \Limn\ (l[i^]m), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Limned} (l[i^]md); p.
   pr. & vb. n. {Limning} (l[i^]m"n[i^]ng or l[i^]m"[i^]ng).]
   [OE. limnen, fr. luminen, for enluminen, F. enluminer to
   illuminate, to limn, LL. illuminare to paint. [root]122. See
   {Illuminate}, {Luminous}.]
   1. To draw or paint; especially, to represent in an artistic
      way with pencil or brush.
      [1913 Webster]

            Let a painter carelessly limn out a million of
            faces, and you shall find them all different. --Sir
                                                  T. Browne.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Hence: To picture in words; to describe in graphic terms.
      [PJC]

   3. To illumine, as books or parchments, with ornamental
      figures, letters, or borders.
      [1913 Webster]
    

60 Moby Thesaurus words for "limn":
      bring to life, cartoon, catch a likeness, chalk, character,
      characterize, charcoal, chart, color, contour, copy, crayon,
      crosshatch, dash off, daub, delineate, depict, describe, design,
      diagram, doodle, draft, draw, evoke, express, give words to, hatch,
      hit off, image, interpret, map, notate, outline, paint,
      paint a picture, pencil, picture, picturize, portray, print,
      profile, register, render, represent, rub, schematize, scratch,
      scumble, set forth, shade, silhouette, sketch, stencil, symbolize,
      take a rubbing, tint, trace, trace out, trace over, write