Search Result for "reform": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (3)

1. a change for the better as a result of correcting abuses;
- Example: "justice was for sale before the reform of the law courts"

2. a campaign aimed to correct abuses or malpractices;
- Example: "the reforms he proposed were too radical for the politicians"

3. self-improvement in behavior or morals by abandoning some vice;
- Example: "the family rejoiced in the drunkard's reform"


VERB (6)

1. make changes for improvement in order to remove abuse and injustices;
- Example: "reform a political system"

2. bring, lead, or force to abandon a wrong or evil course of life, conduct, and adopt a right one;
- Example: "The Church reformed me"
- Example: "reform your conduct"
[syn: reform, reclaim, regenerate, rectify]

3. produce by cracking;
- Example: "reform gas"

4. break up the molecules of;
- Example: "reform oil"

5. improve by alteration or correction of errors or defects and put into a better condition;
- Example: "reform the health system in this country"

6. change for the better;
- Example: "The lazy student promised to reform"
- Example: "the habitual cheater finally saw the light"
[syn: reform, straighten out, see the light]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Reform \Re*form"\ (r?*f?rm"), v. t. [F. r['e]former, L. reformare; pref. re- re- + formare to form, from forma form. See Form.] To put into a new and improved form or condition; to restore to a former good state, or bring from bad to good; to change from worse to better; to amend; to correct; as, to reform a profligate man; to reform corrupt manners or morals. [1913 Webster] The example alone of a vicious prince will corrupt an age; but that of a good one will not reform it. --Swift. [1913 Webster] Syn: To amend; correct; emend; rectify; mend; repair; better; improve; restore; reclaim. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Reform \Re*form"\, v. i. To return to a good state; to amend or correct one's own character or habits; as, a man of settled habits of vice will seldom reform. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Reform \Re*form"\, n. [F. r['e]forme.] Amendment of what is defective, vicious, corrupt, or depraved; reformation; as, reform of elections; reform of government. [1913 Webster] Civil service reform. See under Civil. Reform acts (Eng. Politics), acts of Parliament passed in 1832, 1867, 1884, 1885, extending and equalizing popular representation in Parliament. Reform school, a school established by a state or city government, for the confinement, instruction, and reformation of juvenile offenders, and of young persons of idle, vicious, and vagrant habits. [U. S.] [1913 Webster] Syn: Reformation; amendment; rectification; correction. See Reformation. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Re-form \Re-form"\ (r?*f?rm"), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Re-formed (-f?rmd"); p. pr. & vb. n. Re-forming.] To give a new form to; to form anew; to take form again, or to take a new form; as, to re-form the line after a charge. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

reform n 1: a change for the better as a result of correcting abuses; "justice was for sale before the reform of the law courts" 2: a campaign aimed to correct abuses or malpractices; "the reforms he proposed were too radical for the politicians" 3: self-improvement in behavior or morals by abandoning some vice; "the family rejoiced in the drunkard's reform" v 1: make changes for improvement in order to remove abuse and injustices; "reform a political system" 2: bring, lead, or force to abandon a wrong or evil course of life, conduct, and adopt a right one; "The Church reformed me"; "reform your conduct" [syn: reform, reclaim, regenerate, rectify] 3: produce by cracking; "reform gas" 4: break up the molecules of; "reform oil" 5: improve by alteration or correction of errors or defects and put into a better condition; "reform the health system in this country" 6: change for the better; "The lazy student promised to reform"; "the habitual cheater finally saw the light" [syn: reform, straighten out, see the light]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

241 Moby Thesaurus words for "reform": Fabianism, about-face, accommodate, accommodation, acculturate, adapt, adaptation, adjust, adjustment, advance, alter, alteration, ameliorate, amelioration, amend, amendment, apologize, apostasy, beg pardon, better, betterment, bleach, boost, bowdlerize, break, break up, bring forward, change, change of allegiance, change of heart, change of mind, changeableness, civilize, clean, clean out, clean up, cleanse, clear out, constructive change, continuity, conversion, convert, correct, correction, defection, deform, degeneration, degenerative change, delouse, denature, depurate, deterge, deterioration, deviation, difference, discontinuity, divergence, diversification, diversify, diversion, diversity, do penance, dry-clean, dust, dust off, edify, educate, elevate, emend, emendation, enhance, enlighten, enrich, expurgate, extremism, fatten, favor, fit, fitting, fix, flip-flop, forward, foster, freshen, give back, give salvation, go straight, gradual change, gradualism, improve, improve upon, improvement, lard, lift, lustrate, make an improvement, meliorate, melioration, meliorism, mend, mitigate, mitigation, modification, modify, modulate, modulation, mutate, new birth, new-model, nurture, overthrow, place in, plead guilty, progressivism, promote, purge, purify, put back, qualification, qualify, radical change, radical reform, radicalism, raise, re-create, re-creation, re-form, reactivate, realign, realignment, rebirth, rebuild, reclaim, reclamation, reconstitute, reconstruct, reconvert, recover, recovery, recrudescence, recruit, rectification, rectify, redeem, redemption, redesign, redo, reenact, reestablish, refashion, refill, refine upon, refit, reformation, reformism, regenerate, regeneration, rehabilitate, rehabilitation, reinstall, reinstate, reinstitute, reintegrate, reinvest, remake, remaking, remedy, remodel, renascence, renew, renewal, renovate, renovation, reorganization, reorganize, repair, repent, replace, replenish, reshape, reshaping, restore, restore self-respect, restructure, restructuring, return, revamp, reversal, revest, revise, revisionism, revival, revive, revivification, revolution, revolutionize, ring the changes, save, scavenge, set straight, shift, shift the scene, shuffle the cards, socialize, spruce, steam-clean, straighten out, subvert, sudden change, sweep out, sweeten, switch, think better of, tidy, total change, transfigure, transform, transformation, transition, turn, turn the scale, turn the tables, turn the tide, turn upside down, turnabout, upgrade, upheaval, uplift, utopianism, variation, variety, vary, violent change, whiten, wipe, wipe off, wipe out, wipe up, work a change, worsen, worsening
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

REFORM. To reorganize; to rearrange as, the jury "shall be reformed by putting to and taking out of the persons so impanelled." Stat. 3 H. VIII. c. 12; Bac. Ab. Juries, A. 2. To reform an instrument in equity, is to make a decree that a deed or other agreement shall be made or construed as it was originally intended by the parties, when an error or mistake as to a fact has been committed. A contract has been reformed, although the party applying to the court was in the legal profession, and he himself drew the contract, it appearing clear that it was framed so as to admit of a construction inconsistent with the true agreement of the parties. 1 Sim. & Stu. 210; 3 Russ. R. 424. But a contract will not be reformed in consequence of an error of law. 1 Russ. & M. 418; 1 Chit. Pr. 124.
The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):

REFORM, v. A thing that mostly satisfies reformers opposed to reformation.
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):

Reform, AL -- U.S. city in Alabama Population (2000): 1978 Housing Units (2000): 925 Land area (2000): 8.042385 sq. miles (20.829681 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.028421 sq. miles (0.073611 sq. km) Total area (2000): 8.070806 sq. miles (20.903292 sq. km) FIPS code: 64104 Located within: Alabama (AL), FIPS 01 Location: 33.380835 N, 88.015022 W ZIP Codes (1990): 35481 Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs. Headwords: Reform, AL Reform