paragraph — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A passage in text that starts on a new line, the first line sometimes being indented, and usually marks a change of topic.

   Examples

   opening paragraph

   final paragraph

   More examples (5)

   paragraph heading

   Divide the writing into paragraphs.

   All which land, and all other that shall be possessed in the said Province, are to be held on the same terms and conditions as is before mentioned, and as hereafter in the following paragraphs is more at large express'd.

   She glanced over a story very rapidly, and if it had too many solid, page-long paragraphs—reflections, descriptions, etc.—she put it sadly but steadfastly aside. If, on the contrary, it was well broken up into conversations, which always impart an air of sprightliness to a book, she said she was sure she would like it, and carried it off in triumph.

   After you plan your writing, you are ready to write your paragraph for the first time. The first time you write a paragraph, it is called the first draft.

2. A mark or note set in the margin to call attention to something in the text, such as a change of subject.

3. A brief article, notice, or announcement, as in a newspaper.

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   Much of its earliest foreign news came direct from the minister, and not seldom in his own hand. Louis XIII. took a keen, perhaps a somewhat childish, interest in the progress of the infant Gazette, and was a frequent contributor, now and then taking his little paragraphs to the printing office himself, and seeing them put into type.

4. An offset of 16 bytes in Intel memory architectures.

Verb

1. To sort text into paragraphs.

   Usage

   • Transitive

2. To publish a brief article, notice, or announcement, as in a newspaper.

   Usage

   • Transitive

Noun

1. one of several distinct subdivisions of a text intended to separate ideas; the beginning is usually marked by a new indented line

   Broader terms

   writingwritten materialpiece of writing

Verb

1. divide into paragraphs, as of text

   Broader terms

   dividesplitsplit upseparatedissevercarve up

   Examples

   This story is well paragraphed

2. write about in a paragraph

   Broader terms

   writecomposepenindite

   Examples

   All her friends were paragraphed in last Monday's paper

3. write paragraphs; work as a paragrapher

   Broader terms

   writecomposepenindite