form
Noun · VerbOpen English WordNet
Noun (16)forms
- the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something“the inflected forms of a word can be represented by a stem and a list of inflections to be attached”Synonyms: word formsignifierdescriptorType of wordKinds root, acronym, abbreviation, citation form, etymon, plural, ghost word, singular
- a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality“sculpture is a form of art”“what kinds of desserts are there?”Synonyms: kindsortvarietyType of categoryKinds type, model, style, manner, species, brand, like, genus, genre, description +5 more
- a perceptual structure“the composition presents problems for students of musical form”“a visual pattern must include not only objects but the spaces between them”Synonyms: shapepatternType of structureKinds strand, fractal, kaleidoscope, gestalt, grid, mosaicPart of percept, perception
- any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)“he could barely make out their shapes”Synonyms: shapeconfigurationcontourconformationType of spatial property, spatialityKinds topography, convexity, lobularity, narrowing, curvature, stratification, dullness, rectilinearity, crookedness, roundness +4 moreAttribute of straight, crooked
- alternative names for the body of a human being“Leonardo studied the human body”“he has a strong physique”“the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”Synonyms: human bodyphysical bodymaterial bodysomabuildfigurephysiqueanatomyshapebodchassisframefleshType of body, organic structureKinds person, female body, juvenile body, adult body, male bodyPart of person, homo
- the spatial arrangement of something as distinct from its substance“geometry is the mathematical science of shape”Synonyms: shapeType of attributeKinds plane, line, figure, column, circle, flare, distorted shape, amorphous shape, connection, plume +6 more
- the visual appearance of something or someone“the delicate cast of his features”Synonyms: shapecast
- a printed document with spaces in which to write“he filled out his tax form”
- (biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups“a new strain of microorganisms”Synonyms: variantstrainvar.
- an arrangement of the elements in a composition or discourse“the essay was in the form of a dialogue”“he first sketches the plot in outline form”
- a particular mode in which something is manifested“his resentment took the form of extreme hostility”
- (physical chemistry) a distinct state of matter in a system; matter that is identical in chemical composition and physical state and separated from other material by the phase boundary“the reaction occurs in the liquid phase of the system”Synonyms: phase
- a body of students who are taught together“early morning classes are always sleepy”Synonyms: classgradecourse
- an ability to perform well“he was at the top of his form”“the team was off form last night”
- a life-size dummy used to display clothesSynonyms: mannequinmanikinmannikinmanakin
- a mold for setting concrete“they built elaborate forms for pouring the foundation”
Verb (7)forms, formed, forming
- create (as an entity)“social groups form everywhere”“They formed a company”Synonyms: organizeorganiseMore general make, createMore specific reorganize, draw up, choose up, regiment, syndicate, settle
- to compose or represent“This wall forms the background of the stage setting”“The branches made a roof”“This makes a fine introduction”Synonyms: constitutemakeMore general constitute, representMore specific add, chelate
- develop into a distinctive entity“our plans began to take shape”Synonyms: take formtake shapespringMore general becomeMore specific regenerate
- give shape or form to“shape the dough”“form the young child's character”Synonyms: shapeMore general change, alterMore specific fit, square, flatten, cup, strike, crystallize, round, tie, roll, twist +16 more
- make something, usually for a specific function“She molded the rice balls carefully”“Form cylinders from the dough”“shape a figure”“Work the metal into a sword”Synonyms: shapeworkmoldmouldforgeMore general create from raw material, create from raw stuffMore specific carve, model, layer, beat, sculpt, cut out, preform, hill, cast, throw +11 moreSimilar work, work on
- establish or impress firmly in the mind“We imprint our ideas onto our children”Synonyms: imprintMore general influence, act upon
- assume a form or shape“the water formed little beads”
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Translations
Noun document to be filled in
- Spanish
- formulario
- French
- formulaire
- German
- Formular
- Italian
- modulo
- Portuguese
- formulário
- Turkish
- form
- Russian
- бланк blank
- Arabic
- اِسْتِمَارَة istimāra
- Chinese
- 表格 biǎogé
- Japanese
- 用紙 yōshi
18 more languages
Noun shape or visible structure
- Spanish
- forma
- French
- forme
- German
- Form
- Italian
- forma
- Portuguese
- forma
- Turkish
- şekil
- Russian
- фо́рма fórma
- Arabic
- شَكْل šakl
- Chinese
- 形状 xíngzhuàng
- Japanese
- 形 katachi
26 more languages
- Dutch
- vorm
- Polish
- forma
- Swedish
- form
- Greek
- σχήμα schíma
- Korean
- 형상 hyeongsang
- Vietnamese
- hình thể
- Hungarian
- forma
- Portuguese (PT)
- forma
- Chinese (Trad.)
- 形式 xíngshì
- Breton
- stumm
- Catalan
- forma
- Czech
- forma
- Danish
- form
- Esperanto
- formo
- Estonian
- vorm
- Finnish
- muoto
- Georgian
- ფორმა porma
- Hebrew
- צורה tsurá
- Lithuanian
- forma
- Malagasy
- endrika
- Norwegian
- form
- Romanian
- formă
- Scottish Gaelic
- cumadh
- Serbo-Croatian
- oblik
- Welsh
- ffurf
- Yiddish
- פֿאָרעם forem
Verb to give shape
The main translation for each meaning, from the langtolang.com multilingual dictionary. Each word links to its full entry there.
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: OE. & F. forme, fr. L. forma; cf. Skr. dhariman. Cf. Firm.
1. The shape and structure of anything, as distinguished from the material of which it is composed; particular disposition or arrangement of matter, giving it individuality or distinctive character; configuration; figure; external appearance.
The form of his visage was changed.— Dan. iii. 19.
And woven close close, both matter, form, and style.— John Milton
2. Constitution; mode of construction, organization, etc.; system; as, a republican form of government.
3. Established method of expression or practice; fixed way of proceeding; conventional or stated scheme; formula; as, a form of prayer.
Those whom form of laws Condemned to die.— John Dryden
4. Show without substance; empty, outside appearance; vain, trivial, or conventional ceremony; conventionality; formality; as, a matter of mere form.
Though well we may not pass upon his life Without the form of justice.— William Shakespeare
5. Orderly arrangement; shapeliness; also, comeliness; elegance; beauty.
The earth was without form and void.— Gen. i. 2.
He hath no form nor comeliness.— Is. liii. 2.
6. A shape; an image; a phantom.
7. That by which shape is given or determined; mold; pattern; model.
8. A long seat; a bench; hence, a rank of students in a school; a class; also, a class or rank in society. “Ladies of a high form.” Bp. Gilbert Burnet
9. The seat or bed of a hare.
As in a form sitteth a weary hare.— Geoffrey Chaucer
10. Printing The type or other matter from which an impression is to be taken, arranged and secured in a chase.
11. Fine arts The boundary line of a material object. In painting, more generally, the human body.
12. Grammar The particular shape or structure of a word or part of speech; as, participial forms; verbal forms.
13. Crystallography The combination of planes included under a general crystallographic symbol. It is not necessarily a closed solid.
14. Metaphysics That assemblage or disposition of qualities which makes a conception, or that internal constitution which makes an existing thing to be what it is; — called essential or substantial form, and contradistinguished from matter; hence, active or formative nature; law of being or activity; subjectively viewed, an idea; objectively, a law.
15. Mode of acting or manifestation to the senses, or the intellect; as, water assumes the form of ice or snow. In modern usage, the elements of a conception furnished by the mind's own activity, as contrasted with its object or condition, which is called the matter; subjectively, a mode of apprehension or belief conceived as dependent on the constitution of the mind; objectively, universal and necessary accompaniments or elements of every object known or thought of.
16. Biology The peculiar characteristics of an organism as a type of others; also, the structure of the parts of an animal or plant.
Good form or Bad form, the general appearance, condition or action, originally of horses, afterwards of persons; as, the members of a boat crew are said to be in good form when they pull together uniformly. The phrases are further used colloquially in description of conduct or manners in society; as, it is not good form to smoke in the presence of a lady.
Origin: F. former, L. formare, fr. forma. See Form, noun
1. To give form or shape to; to frame; to construct; to make; to fashion.
God formed man of the dust of the ground.— Gen. ii. 7.
The thought that labors in my forming brain.— Nicholas Rowe
2. To give a particular shape to; to shape, mold, or fashion into a certain state or condition; to arrange; to adjust; also, to model by instruction and discipline; to mold by influence, etc.; to train.
'T is education forms the common mind.— Alexander Pope
Thus formed for speed, he challenges the wind.— John Dryden
3. To go to make up; to act as constituent of; to be the essential or constitutive elements of; to answer for; to make the shape of; — said of that out of which anything is formed or constituted, in whole or in part.
The diplomatic politicians... who formed by far the majority.— Edmund Burke
4. To provide with a form, as a hare. See Form, noun, 9.
The melancholy hare is formed in brakes and briers.— Michael Drayton
5. Grammar To derive by grammatical rules, as by adding the proper suffixes and affixes.
6. Electricity To treat (plates) so as to bring them to fit condition for introduction into a storage battery, causing one plate to be composed more or less of spongy lead, and the other of lead peroxide. This was formerly done by repeated slow alternations of the charging current, but now the plates or grids are coated or filled, one with a paste of red lead and the other with litharge, introduced into the cell, and formed by a direct charging current.
1. To take a form, definite shape, or arrangement; as, the infantry should form in column.
2. To run to a form, as a hare. Ben Jonson
To form on Military, to form a lengthened line with reference to (any given object) as a basis.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54 · with additions: 1913 supplement
Free On-line Dictionary of Computing
<mathematics, tool> A system written by Jos Vermaseren <t68@nikhefh.nikhef.nl> in 1989 for fast handling of very large-scale symbolic mathematics problems. FORM is a descendant of Schoonschip and is available for many personal computers and workstations.
(ftp://acm.princeton.edu/), (ftp://nikhefh.nikhef.nl/).
Mailing list: <form@can.nl>.
(1995-04-12)