Definitions for: Form


[n] the spatial arrangement of something as distinct from its substance; "geometry is the mathematical science of shape"
[n] a mold for setting concrete; "they built elaborate forms for pouring the foundation"
[n] a life-size dummy used to display clothes
[n] the visual appearance of something or someone; "the delicate cast of his features"
[n] a particular mode in which something is manifested; "his resentment took the form of extreme hostility"
[n] any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline); "he could barely make out their shapes through the smoke"
[n] an ability to perform well; "he was at the top of his form"; "the team was off form last night"
[n] 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"
[n] a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality; "sculpture is a form of art"; "what kinds of desserts are there?"
[n] 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"
[n] the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word; "the inflected forms of a word can be represented by a stem and a list of inflections to be attached"
[n] a printed document with spaces in which to write; "he filled out his tax form"
[n] 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"
[n] (biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups; "a new strain of microorganisms"
[n] a body of students who are taught together; "early morning classes are always sleepy"
[n] (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"
[v] give a shape or or form to; "shape the dough"
[v] make something, usually for a specific function; "She molded the riceballs carefully"; "Form cylinders from the dough"; "shape a figure"; "Work the metal into a sword"
[v] give shape to; "form the clay into a head"
[v] establish or impress firmly in the mind; "We imprint our ideas onto our children"
[v] create, as of a social group or a company, for example
[v] to compose or represent:"This wall forms the background of the stage setting"; "The branches made a roof"; "This makes a fine introduction"
[v] develop into a distinctive entity; "our plans began to take shape"



Webster (1913) Definition: form [See Form, n.]
A suffix used to denote in the form or shape of, resembling,
etc.; as, valiform; oviform.


Form (f[=o]rm; in senses 8 & 9, often f[=o]rm in
England), n. [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.
--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. --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. --Shak.

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. Burnet.

9. The seat or bed of a hare.

As in a form sitteth a weary hare. --Chaucer.

10. (Print.) 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. (Gram.) The particular shape or structure of a word or
part of speech; as, participial forms; verbal forms.

13. (Crystallog.) The combination of planes included under a
general crystallographic symbol. It is not necessarily a
closed solid.

14. (Metaph.) 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. (Biol.) 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, atterwards 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.


Form (f[^o]rm), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Formed (f[^o]rmd);
p. pr. & vb. n. Forming.] [F. former, L. formare, fr.
forma. See Form, n.]
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. --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. --Pope.

Thus formed for speed, he challenges the wind.
--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. --Burke.

4. To provide with a form, as a hare. See Form, n., 9.

The melancholy hare is formed in brakes and briers.
--Drayton.

5. (Gram.) To derive by grammatical rules, as by adding the
proper suffixes and affixes.


Form, v. i.
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. --B. Jonson.

To form on (Mil.), to form a lengthened line with reference
to (any given object) as a basis.


Form, v. t. (Elec.)
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.

Synonyms: anatomy, bod, build, cast, chassis, class, configuration, conformation, constitute, contour, figure, flesh, forge, frame, grade, human body, imprint, kind, make, manakin, manikin, mannequin, mannikin, material body, mold, mould, organise, organize, pattern, phase, physical body, physique, shape, shape, shape, shape, shape, shape, signifier, soma, sort, spring, strain, take form, take shape, var., variant, variety, word form, work

Antonyms: deform

See Also: abbreviation, ability, acronym, act upon, add, adult body, alter, alter, amorphous shape, angular shape, angularity, angularity, antitype, appearance, application form, art form, assemblage, attribute, base, be, bead, beat, become, biology class, blank space, block, blow, bluntness, body, brand, brecciate, bunch, bunch up, bundle, carve, cast, cast, category, change, change, chelate, chemistry class, chip, choose up, circle, circle, citation form, claim form, clump, cluster, coil, color, colour, column, comprise, concaveness, concavity, conglobate, conglobe, connection, connexion, constellate, convexity, convexness, create, create from raw material, create from raw stuff, crookedness, crystalise, crystalize, crystallise, crystallize, culminate, cup, curvature, curve, cut out, deform, description, dimension, dish, dispersed particles, dispersed phase, dispersing medium, dispersing phase, dispersion medium, distort, distorted shape, distortion, document, draw, draw up, dullness, dulness, dummy, encircle, English class, entry word, etymon, fashion, female body, figure, first grade, fit, flake, flare, flatten, flavor, flavour, fork, fractal, gathering, genre, genre, genus, gestalt, ghost word, grain, granulate, handbuild, hill, homo, human, human being, ilk, individual, individuate, influence, juvenile body, keenness, layer, line, link, literary genre, lobularity, machine, main entry word, make, make, make up, male body, man, manner, manner, mode, model, model, mold, mortal, mosaic, mould, mound, narrowing, natural shape, order form, organic structure, papers, percept, perception, perceptual experience, person, physical structure, physics class, pillar, place, plane, plume, plural, plural form, preform, puddle, questionnaire, radical, regenerate, regiment, regroup, remold, reorganise, reorganize, represent, requisition, requisition form, reshape, reticulate, ridge, roll, root, root word, roughcast, round, round off, round out, round shape, roundness, scallop, scollop, sculpt, sculpture, sharpness, sheet, singular, singular form, sinter, sixth form, sliver, solid, somebody, someone, soul, space, spatial property, spatiality, species, species, square, square up, stamp, state, state of matter, stem, straightness, strain, strand, stratification, strickle, strike, structure, style, style, Sunday school class, swage, syndicate, tabulate, tax form, taxon, taxonomic group, telegraph form, terrace, the like, the likes of, theme, throw, tie, topography, tower, turn, twist, type, upset, versification, visual aspect, way, word, work, writing style, written document

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