form

¹

[ fawrm ]

noun

1. external appearance of a clearly defined area, as distinguished from color or material; configuration:

   a triangular form.

   Synonyms: conformation, mold

   Antonyms: substance

2. the shape of a thing or person.
3. a body, especially that of a human being.
4. a dummy having the same measurements as a human body, used for fitting or displaying clothing:

   a dressmaker's form.

5. something that gives or determines shape; a mold.

   Synonyms: pattern, model

6. a particular condition, character, or mode in which something appears:

   water in the form of ice.

7. the manner or style of arranging and coordinating parts for a pleasing or effective result, as in literary or musical composition:

   a unique form for the novel.

8. Fine Arts.
   1. the organization, placement, or relationship of basic elements, as lines and colors in a painting or volumes and voids in a sculpture, so as to produce a coherent image; the formal structure of a work of art.
   2. three-dimensional quality or volume, as of a represented object or anatomical part.
   3. an object, person, or part of the human body or the appearance of any of these, especially as seen in nature:

      His work is characterized by the radical distortion of the human form.

9. any assemblage of things of a similar kind constituting a component of a group, especially of a zoological group.

   Synonyms: type, order, kind, sort

10. Crystallography. the combination of all the like faces possible on a crystal of given symmetry.
11. due or proper shape; orderly arrangement of parts; good order.
12. Philosophy.
    1. the structure, pattern, organization, or essential nature of anything.
    2. structure or pattern as distinguished from matter.
    3. (initial capital letter) Platonism. idea ( def 7c ).
    4. Aristotelianism. that which places a thing in its particular species or kind.
13. Logic. the abstract relations of terms in a proposition, and of propositions to one another.
14. a set, prescribed, or customary order or method of doing something.

    Synonyms: rule, formality, formula, ritual, ceremony

15. a set order of words, as for use in religious ritual or in a legal document:

    a form for initiating new members.

16. a document with blank spaces to be filled in with particulars before it is executed:

    a tax form.

    Synonyms: blank

17. a typical document to be used as a guide in framing others for like cases:

    a form for a deed.

18. a conventional method of procedure or behavior:

    society's forms.

19. a formality or ceremony, often with implication of absence of real meaning:

    to go through the outward forms of a religious wedding.

    Synonyms: formula, practice, mode, system

20. procedure according to a set order or method.

    Synonyms: formula, practice, mode, system

21. conformity to the usages of society; formality; ceremony:

    the elaborate forms prevalent in the courts of renaissance kings.

22. procedure or conduct, as judged by social standards:

    Such behavior is very bad form.

    Good form demands that we go.

23. manner or method of performing something; technique:

    The violin soloist displayed tremendous form.

24. physical condition or fitness, as for performing:

    a tennis player in peak form.

25. Grammar.
    1. a word, part of a word, or group of words forming a construction that recurs in various contexts in a language with relatively constant meaning. Compare linguistic form.
    2. a particular shape of such a form that occurs in more than one shape. In I'm, 'm is a form of am.
    3. a word with a particular inflectional ending or other modification. Goes is a form of go.
26. Linguistics. the shape or pattern of a word or other construction ( substance ).
27. Building Trades. temporary boarding or sheeting of plywood or metal for giving a desired shape to poured concrete, rammed earth, etc.
28. a grade or class of pupils in a British secondary school or in certain U.S. private schools:

    boys in the fourth form.

29. British. a bench or long seat.
30. British Informal. a criminal record:

    She didn't want to believe that her own mother had form.

31. Also British, Printing. an assemblage of types, leads, etc., secured in a chase to print from.

verb (used with object)

1. to construct or frame.

   Synonyms: outline, forge, mold, fabricate, model

2. to make or produce.

   Synonyms: create

3. to serve to make up; serve as; compose; constitute:

   The remaining members will form the program committee.

4. to place in order; arrange; organize.

   Synonyms: dispose, systematize

5. to frame (ideas, opinions, etc.) in the mind.
6. to contract or develop (habits, friendships, etc.).
7. to give form or shape to; shape; fashion.
8. to give a particular form or shape to; fashion in a particular manner:

   Form the dough into squares.

9. to mold or develop by discipline or instructions:

   The sergeant's job was to form boys into men.

   Synonyms: train, educate, teach

10. Grammar.
    1. to make (a derivation) by some grammatical change:

       The suffix “-ly” forms adverbs from adjectives.

    2. to have (a grammatical feature) represented in a particular shape:

       English forms plurals in “-s”.

11. Military. to draw up in lines or in formation.

verb (used without object)

1. to take or assume form.
2. to be formed or produced:

   Ice began to form on the window.

3. to take a particular form or arrangement:

   The ice formed in patches across the window.

-form

²

1. a combining form meaning “having the form of ”:

   cruciform.

-form

¹

combining form

1. having the shape or form of or resembling

   vermiform

   cruciform

Form

²

/ fɔːm /

noun

1. (in the philosophy of Plato) an ideal archetype existing independently of those individuals which fall under it, supposedly explaining their common properties and serving as the only objects of true knowledge as opposed to the mere opinion obtainable of matters of fact Also calledIdea

form

³

/ fɔːm /

noun

1. the shape or configuration of something as distinct from its colour, texture, etc
2. the particular mode, appearance, etc, in which a thing or person manifests itself

   water in the form of ice

   in the form of a bat

3. a type or kind

   imprisonment is a form of punishment

4. 1. a printed document, esp one with spaces in which to insert facts or answers

      an application form

   2. ( as modifier )

      a form letter

5. physical or mental condition, esp good condition, with reference to ability to perform

   off form

6. the previous record of a horse, athlete, etc, esp with regard to fitness
7. slang.
   a criminal record
8. style, arrangement, or design in the arts, as opposed to content
9. a fixed mode of artistic expression or representation in literary, musical, or other artistic works

   sonnet form

   sonata form

10. a mould, frame, etc, that gives shape to something
11. organized structure or order, as in an artistic work
12. education a group of children who are taught together; class
13. manner, method, or style of doing something, esp with regard to recognized standards
14. behaviour or procedure, esp as governed by custom or etiquette

    good form

15. formality or ceremony
16. a prescribed set or order of words, terms, etc, as in a religious ceremony or legal document
17. philosophy
    1. the structure of anything as opposed to its constitution or content
    2. essence as opposed to matter
    3. often capital (in the philosophy of Plato) the ideal universal that exists independently of the particulars which fall under it See also Form
    4. (in the philosophy of Aristotle) the constitution of matter to form a substance; by virtue of this its nature can be understood
18. See logical form
19. a bench, esp one that is long, low, and backless
20. the nest or hollow in which a hare lives
21. a group of organisms within a species that differ from similar groups by trivial differences, as of colour
22. linguistics
    1. the phonological or orthographic shape or appearance of a linguistic element, such as a word
    2. a linguistic element considered from the point of view of its shape or sound rather than, for example, its meaning
23. crystallog See crystal form
24. taxonomy a group distinguished from other groups by a single characteristic: ranked below a variety

verb

1. to give shape or form to or to take shape or form, esp a specified or particular shape
2. to come or bring into existence

   a scum formed on the surface

3. to make, produce, or construct or be made, produced, or constructed
4. to construct or develop in the mind

   to form an opinion

5. tr to train, develop, or mould by instruction, discipline, or example
6. tr to acquire, contract, or develop

   to form a habit

7. tr to be an element of, serve as, or constitute

   this plank will form a bridge

8. tr to draw up; organize

   to form a club

Derived Forms

• ˈformable, adjective

Other Words From

• form·a·ble adjective
• form·a·bly adverb
• half-formed adjective
• mis·form verb
• mis·formed adjective
• non·form noun
• non·form·ing adjective
• o·ver·formed adjective
• self-formed adjective
• sem·i·formed adjective
• sub·form noun
• un·der·form noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of form¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English forme, from Old French, from Latin forma “form, figure, model, mold, sort,” Medieval Latin: “seat”

Origin of form²

From the Latin suffix -fōrmis

Word History and Origins

Origin of form¹

from New Latin -formis , from Latin, from fōrma form

Origin of form²

C13: from Old French forme , from Latin forma shape, model

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with form , also see run to form ; true to form .

Synonym Study

Form, figure, outline, shape refer to an appearance that can be recognized. Form, figure, and shape are often used to mean an area defined by contour without regard to other identifying qualities, as color or material. Outline refers to the line that delimits a form, figure, or shape: the outline of a hill. Form often includes a sense of mass or volume: a solid form. Shape may refer to an outline or a form: an “S” shape; a woman's shape. Figure often refers to a form or shape determined by its outline: the figure eight. Form and shape may also be applied to abstractions: the shape or form of the future. Form is applied to physical objects, mental images, methods of procedure, etc.; it is a more inclusive term than either shape or figure : the form of a cross, of a ceremony, of a poem.

Example Sentences

Well, the early results are in, in the form of Trump’s first Cabinet nominations, and they are … well, wow, the early results are a lot.

From Slate

Under its president, the writer Amin Maalouf, the dictionary committee meets every Thursday morning and after discussion gives its ruling on definitions that have been drawn up in preliminary form by outside experts.

From BBC

The forecasts published on Friday will also form part of the public debate, and private negotiations between universities and ministers considering whether tuition fees should rise further in the future.

From BBC

Looking back at “U2:UV,” the Edge, 63, says a Sphere production is “its own distinct kind of art form — a new art form, I think, not just for music but for narrative film, for documentary, for all kinds of presentations. It’s the ability to translocate the audience to a new place, be it real or imaginary.”

From Los Angeles Times

The population should have begun to stabilize, except there was a new form of growth: immigration.

From Salon

Related Words

• assemble
• build
• complete
• compose
• constitute
• construct
• create
• design
• develop
• establish
• forge
• found
• organize
• plan
• set
• set up
• work