Definition of LIMNED

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Allow us to shed some light on the history of "limn," a word with lustrous origins. "Limn" traces to the Middle French verb enluminer and ultimately to the Latin illuminare, which means "to illuminate." Its use as an English verb dates from the days of Middle English; at first, "limn" referred to the action of illuminating (that is, decorating) medieval manuscripts with gold, silver, or brilliant colors. William Shakespeare extended the term to painting in his poem Venus and Adonis: "Look when a painter would surpass the life / In limning out a well-proportioned steed . . . ."

Examples of limn in a Sentence

he limned the scene in the courtroom so perfectly I could practically see it

Recent Examples on the Web Nonetheless, Democrats want to be perceived as favoring virtually universal suffrage, and to limn their conservative and Republican opposition as favoring vote suppression. — Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, "No, Every Vote Does Not Count," 3 Nov. 2020 Her poems, which have appeared in The New Yorker for over thirty years, limn the legacies of history, in her home country and beyond, and reckon especially with the repression of women’s accomplishments, realities, and inner lives. — Hannah Aizenman, The New Yorker, "Eavan Boland in The New Yorker," 29 Apr. 2020 Also stuffed not inelegantly between the microcosmic doings are several larger incidents that limn the bloody and brutal history of the two centuries, including South American totalitarianism, European pogroms and the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. — Washington Post, "Bibliophiles love the mystery of a missing manuscript. ‘The Lost Book of Adana Moreau’ is just what they’re looking for.," 2 Feb. 2020 Every eloquent expanse of empty wall is limned by a trill of thin stripes defining doorjambs, drawn curtains and window frames. — Washington Post, "This Edward Hopper exhibition on hotels is worth an extended stay," 28 Nov. 2019 Poupaud’s extraordinary performance here limns the ambiguity of men who are not gay with those who felt gay after their abuse. — Armond White, National Review, "In By the Grace of God, Insight Surpasses PC Righteousness," 18 Oct. 2019 The politics of illness—how the profit motive determines life and damage and death; how victim blaming is enshrined; how social norms can disable and kill—have rarely been limned with such clarity and grace. — Lidija Haas, Harper's magazine, "New Books," 28 Oct. 2019 Yet each bears Becker’s stamp, with impeccably precise narratives, mise-en-scènes of documentary accuracy, and characters both well-limned and inordinately sympathetic. — David Mermelstein, WSJ, "The Struggles of Jacques Becker," 1 Aug. 2018 Faleiro, opposite him, beautifully limns a woman whose position between her parents on the one hand and her husband and children on the other becomes untenable because of political events beyond her control. — Boyd Van Hoeij, The Hollywood Reporter, "'The Domain' ('A herdade'): Film Review | Venice 2019," 7 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'limn.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.