Dic: picture (as something described or mentally imagined)

• We are just trying to get our picture of the whole afternoon straight.
• He pictured her with long black braided hair.
• He pictured Claire sitting out in the car, waiting for him.
• I tried to picture the place, but could not.
• I'll try and give you a better picture of what the boys do.
• The writer paints a gloomy picture of the economy.
• The police are trying to build up a picture of what happened.
• I have a vivid picture of my grandfather smiling down at me when I was very small.

N-COUNT : oft N of n | If you have a picture of something in your mind, you have a clear idea or memory of it in your mind as if you were actually seeing it. (= image)

VERB | If you picture something in your mind, you think of it and have such a clear memory or idea of it that you seem to be able to see it.(= imagine)

N-COUNT : usu sing, with supp | A picture of something is a description of it or an indication of what it is like.

..... Cobuild, OALD

Cf. Dic: picture (as a general situation)

• It's a similar picture across the border in Ethiopia.
• Luke never tells you the whole story, but you always get the picture.
• Meyerson is back in the picture after disappearing in July.

N-SING : oft the N | When you refer to the picture in a particular place, you are referring to the situation there. (= situation)

PHRASE : V inflects | If you get the picture, you understand the situation, especially one which someone is describing to you. (= get the idea)

PHRASE : v-link PHR, PHR after v | If you say that someone is in the picture, you mean that they are involved in the situation that you are talking about. If you say that they are out of the picture, you mean that they are not involved in the situation.

.... Cobuild