design

(whether) by accident or design

Intentionally or not. Whether by accident or design, those high school kids have really created a solid, sustainable business.
See also: accident, by, design

a camel is a horse designed by a committee

Committees, due to their reliance on several different opinions and viewpoints, produce results that are fragmented, inefficient, or of poor quality, especially compared to the work of a single individual or a small team. A: "Did you see this latest memo? Can you believe the asinine decisions the task force made?" B: "Well, a camel is a horse designed by a committee."
See also: by, camel, committee, design, horse

by design

Deliberately and purposefully; as one planned or intended. I assure you that everything you saw has happened by design.
See also: by, design

design (something) for (someone or something)

To create, devise, or plan something for someone or something. I asked our top graphic artist to design the visual component for this ad campaign.
See also: design

have designs on (someone or something)

To pursue someone or something, often for selfish reasons. I don't trust him because I think he has designs on my job. He said he has designs on Karen, but I don't think he has a chance with her.
See also: design, have, on

more by accident than (by) design

Due more to coincidence or luck than to one's own skill or planning. To be honest, I feel like the massive popularity of the app is more by accident than by design. A: "This stew is delicious!" B: "Thanks, but it's really more by accident than design."
See also: accident, by, design, more
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

design something for someone

to conceive of something for someone; to draw up plans of something for someone. Ann designed a new kitchen for us. Would you design a book cover for me?
See also: design

design something for something

to conceive of something that is to be part of something else; to draw up plans for something that is to be part of something else. The engineers designed a cure for the rattling problem. Bob, the computer programmer, designed a fix for the bug in the program. She designed a system of shelving for the library.
See also: design

have designs on someone or something

Fig. to have plans to exploit or somehow take advantage of someone or something. Mrs. Brown has designs on my apple tree. I think she's going to cut off the part that hangs over her fence. Mary has designs on Bill. I think she'll try to date him.
See also: design, have, on
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

by design

On purpose, deliberately, as in Whether by luck or by design, his application was accepted. This term, originally put as on design, uses design in the sense of "plan." [First half of 1600s]
See also: by, design

have designs on

Contrive a secret plot or scheme, especially with selfish motives. For example, I think he has designs on my job, or Mary has designs on her sister's boyfriend. This term uses design in the sense of "a crafty plan," a usage dating from about 1700.
See also: design, have, on
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

have designs on something

If someone has designs on something, they want it and are planning to get it. The team has designs on a place in the Football League, and have a new stand rising at their Kingfield ground. Most observers believe that he has his own designs on power.
See also: design, have, on, something

have designs on someone

If one person has designs on another, the first person wants to have a sexual relationship with the second. The colonel had designs on Greg's wife.
See also: design, have, on, someone
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

have designs on

aim to obtain something desired, especially in an underhand way.
2003 Economist Hardliners…think America has designs on its oil, and will act against Iran once it has disposed of Saddam Hussein.
See also: design, have, on
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

(whether) by ˌaccident or deˈsign

if you say that something happens by accident or design, you mean that you do not know if it has been planned or not: Mary was wearing the same T-shirt as me — whether by accident or design, I never knew.
See also: accident, by, design

have deˈsigns on somebody/something

intend to take somebody/something for yourself, for example a job or a person who you find sexually attractive: Several people have got designs on the office manager’s post. I think she’s got designs on you, Peter.
See also: design, have, on, somebody, something
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • by accident or design
  • (whether) by accident or design
  • accident
  • whether
  • by accident
  • bender
  • fender
  • fender bender
  • fender-bender
  • waiting
References in periodicals archive
This year, the Golden Pin Design Award introduces a new category - Integration design.
Best Design winner from 2017, 'UPTO 3742 | TOP OF THE RIDGE' is representative of the new Integration design category, which is a Samsung virtual reality exhibition that transports visitors into the high mountains of Taiwan.
Taiwan's Golden Pin Design Award 2018 opens international call for entries
Since May of this year, the WTC Design Task Force, which encompasses four architectural firms and numerous engineers and other design professionals, has been working with an unprecedented collaborative approach in a design studio at 7 WTC.
He has over 30 years of project design and construction management experience in multiple project types including 745 Seventh Avenue, World Wide Plaza, 1301 Avenue of the Americas and Park Avenue Plaza in New York City and 30 Hudson Street in Jersey City.
Once-in-a-lifetime chance draws architects to WTC
By designing from the "inside out," KKE expands understanding, produces state-of-the-art design and, most importantly, enriches lives.
Services Guide
CHEVROLET WTCC ULTRA CONCEPT: Taking Chevrolet's traditional conservative design to the extreme is the task of this concept, according to Dave Lyon, executive director of GM's Asia-Pacific design studio, where the WTCC was crafted.
Paris style
Mold repair and design, and product development services.
Injection molds
These new features are a complement to our Revit-based suite of products for BIM that support the gbXML schema, and they will further support the increase in sustainable building design."
ARCHITECTS USE WEB SERVICE FOR EARLY DESIGN PHASE
While experience design is a potentially powerful approach, it is "still in its infancy" (Hekkert, Mostert, & Stompff, p.
Experience design methodology: the four questions
In addition to its flexible design, Lakes Community High School also was built with an eye toward energy efficiency.
Smart design: two schools prove that style, energy savings and innovative layouts can all be present in your next school building
Since the fourth and current wave, intelligent design, took hold in the early 1990s, its proponents have become increasingly vigorous, Terry says.
Evolution in action: the trials and tribulations of intelligent design
"What Arkansas has done is pose a series of questions that manufacturers have to respond to annually by law that ask, 'What have we done to design our products better?'" says Reiter.
Designs on the future: designing for recycling encourages manufacturers to plan for the end of their products' lives
Bondioli (Brazil) is a product designer educated at Fundacao Armando Alvares Penteado in industrial design. His work has been honored in domestic and international design contests.
Useful things of beauty: 15 amazing gifts to give or get this holiday season. You could live without them, but why?
Not all interface designs, however, have excluded children from participation in the design process itself.
Interface design, web portals, and children
The jury reviewed each entry with regard to public and private spaces and design in both the exterior and interior environments.
Notes from the jury chair: for a new generation