Definitions for formfɔrm

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

formfɔrm(n.)

external appearance of a clearly defined area, as distinguished from color or material; configuration:
a triangular form.
the shape of a thing or person.
a body, esp. that of a human being.
Category: Anatomy
a dummy having the same measurements as a human body, used for fitting or displaying clothing.
Category: Clothing
something that gives or determines shape; a mold.
a particular condition, character, or mode in which something appears:
water in the form of ice.
the manner or style of arranging and coordinating parts for a pleasing or effective result, as in literary or musical composition.
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.
Category: Fine Arts
a particular kind, type, species, or variety, esp. of a zoological group.
Category: Biology
the combination of all the like faces possible on a crystal of given symmetry.
Category: Crystallography
due or proper shape; orderly arrangement of parts; good order.
Philos. the structure, organization, or essential character of something, as opposed to its matter. (cap.) Platonism. Aristotelianism. that which places a thing in its particular species or kind.
Category: Philosphy
Ref: idea (def. 8c). 7 3
a set, prescribed, or customary order or method of doing something.
a set order of words, as for use in religious ritual or in a legal document; formula.
a document with blank spaces to be filled in with particulars:
a tax form.
a conventional method of procedure or behavior:
society's forms.
procedure according to a set order or method.
conformity to the usages of society; formality; ceremony.
manner or method of performing something; technique:
The violinist displayed excellent form.
physical condition or fitness, as for performing:
a tennis player in peak form.
a particular shape of a word that occurs in more than one shape: In I'm, 'm is a form of am. a word with a particular inflectional ending or other modification: Goes is a form of go. the external shape or pattern of a word or other construction, as distinguished from its meaning, function, etc.
Category: Grammar
Ref: linguistic form.
temporary boarding or sheeting of plywood or metal for giving a desired shape to poured concrete, rammed earth, etc.
Category: Building Trades
a grade or class of pupils in a British secondary school or in certain U.S. private schools.
Category: Education
a bench or long seat.
an assemblage of printing types, leads, etc., secured in a chase to print from.
Category: Printing
(v.t.)to construct or frame.
to make or produce.
to serve to make up; compose; constitute:
Three citizens form the review board.
to place in order; arrange; organize.
to frame (ideas, opinions, etc.) in the mind.
to contract or develop (habits, friendships, etc.).
to give form or shape to; shape; fashion.
to give a particular form or shape to:
Form the dough into squares.
to mold or develop by discipline or instructions.
to produce (a word or class of words) by adding an affix, combining elements, or changing the shape of the form: to form the plural by adding -s.
Category: Grammar
(v.i.)to take or assume form.
to be formed or produced:
Ice began to form on the window.
to take a particular form or arrangement:
The ice formed in patches across the window.

Origin of form:

1175–1225; ME forme < OF < L fōrma form, mold, sort, ML: seat

form′a•bly(adv.)

-form

a combining form meaning “having the form of”:
cruciform.
Category: Affix

Origin of -form:

< L -fōrmis

Princeton's WordNet

form, word form, signifier, descriptor(noun)
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"
kind, sort, form, variety(noun)
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
"sculpture is a form of art"; "what kinds of desserts are there?"
form, shape, pattern(noun)
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"
shape, form, configuration, contour, conformation(noun)
any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
"he could barely make out their shapes"
human body, physical body, material body, soma, build, figure, physique, anatomy, shape, bod, chassis, frame, form, flesh(noun)
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"
shape, form(noun)
the spatial arrangement of something as distinct from its substance
"geometry is the mathematical science of shape"
form, shape, cast(noun)
the visual appearance of something or someone
"the delicate cast of his features"
form(noun)
a printed document with spaces in which to write
"he filled out his tax form"
form, variant, strain, var.(noun)
(biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups
"a new strain of microorganisms"
form(noun)
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"
form(noun)
a particular mode in which something is manifested
"his resentment took the form of extreme hostility"
phase, form(noun)
(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"
class, form, grade, course(noun)
a body of students who are taught together
"early morning classes are always sleepy"
form(noun)
an ability to perform well
"he was at the top of his form"; "the team was off form last night"
mannequin, manikin, mannikin, manakin, form(noun)
a life-size dummy used to display clothes
form(verb)
a mold for setting concrete
"they built elaborate forms for pouring the foundation"
form, organize, organise(verb)
create (as an entity)
"social groups form everywhere"; "They formed a company"
form, constitute, make(verb)
to compose or represent:"This wall forms the background of the stage setting"
"The branches made a roof"; "This makes a fine introduction"
form, take form, take shape, spring(verb)
develop into a distinctive entity
"our plans began to take shape"
shape, form(verb)
give shape or form to
"shape the dough"; "form the young child's character"
shape, form, work, mold, mould, forge(verb)
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"
imprint, form(verb)
establish or impress firmly in the mind
"We imprint our ideas onto our children"
form(verb)
assume a form or shape
"the water formed little beads"

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

form(noun)ɔrm
the particular way sth is expressed, appears, or seems
just another form of discrimination; protection in the form of helmets and knee pads; an artistic idea that can be expressed in many different forms
formɔrm
an official document onto which you write information
legal forms and documents; to fill out a form
formɔrm
the shape of sb or sth; = outline
The building appeared as a shapeless form in the darkness.
formɔrm
level of ability or performance
formɔrm
performing or playing at the highest level at which you are able
a basketball player in top form
formɔrm
a class of students in a school
***children in the sixth form
form(verb)ɔrm
to develop or exist or make develop or exist
Ice had formed on the pond.; Everyone stand up and form a circle.; We decided to form a punk rock band.; The idea had not yet fully formed in my head.
formɔrm
to be or function as sth
These women form the core of the group.

Wiktionary

form(Noun)
The shape or visible structure of a thing or person.
form(Noun)
A thing that gives shape to other things as in a mold.
form(Noun)
An order of doing things, as in religious ritual.
form(Noun)
A blank document or template to be filled in by the user.
To apply for the position, complete the application form.
form(Noun)
A grouping of words which maintain grammatical context in different usages.
form(Noun)
Characteristics not involving atomic components.
form(Noun)
A criminal record; loosely, past history (in a given area).
form(Noun)
A class or year of students (often preceded by an ordinal number to specify the year, as in sixth form).
form(Noun)
The den or home of a hare.
form(Verb)
To give shape or visible structure to (a thing or person).
form(Verb)
To take shape.
form(Verb)
To create (a word) by inflection or derivation.
By adding "-ness", you can form a noun from an adjective.
form(Verb)
To constitute, to compose, to make up.
form(Noun)
A long bench with no back.
form(Noun)
A window or dialogue box.

Origin: From forme, from forme, from forma

Webster Dictionary

form(noun)
a suffix used to denote in the form / shape of, resembling, etc.; as, valiform; oviform
Form(noun)
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
Form(noun)
constitution; mode of construction, organization, etc.; system; as, a republican form of government
Form(noun)
established method of expression or practice; fixed way of proceeding; conventional or stated scheme; formula; as, a form of prayer
Form(noun)
show without substance; empty, outside appearance; vain, trivial, or conventional ceremony; conventionality; formality; as, a matter of mere form
Form(noun)
orderly arrangement; shapeliness; also, comeliness; elegance; beauty
Form(noun)
a shape; an image; a phantom
Form(noun)
that by which shape is given or determined; mold; pattern; model
Form(noun)
a long seat; a bench; hence, a rank of students in a school; a class; also, a class or rank in society
Form(noun)
the seat or bed of a hare
Form(noun)
the type or other matter from which an impression is to be taken, arranged and secured in a chase
Form(noun)
the boundary line of a material object. In painting, more generally, the human body
Form(noun)
the particular shape or structure of a word or part of speech; as, participial forms; verbal forms
Form(noun)
the combination of planes included under a general crystallographic symbol. It is not necessarily a closed solid
Form(noun)
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
Form(noun)
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
Form(noun)
the peculiar characteristics of an organism as a type of others; also, the structure of the parts of an animal or plant
Form(noun)
to give form or shape to; to frame; to construct; to make; to fashion
Form(noun)
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
Form(noun)
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
Form(noun)
to provide with a form, as a hare. See Form, n., 9
Form(noun)
to derive by grammatical rules, as by adding the proper suffixes and affixes
Form(verb)
to take a form, definite shape, or arrangement; as, the infantry should form in column
Form(verb)
to run to a form, as a hare