Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Form
Form
(fōrm; in senses 8 & 9, often fōrm in England)
, Noun.
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 government3.
Established method of expression or practice; fixed way of proceeding; conventional or stated scheme; formula;
as, a
. form
of prayerThose whom
Condemned to die.
form
of lawsCondemned 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
Without the
form
of justice. 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. 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
. 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
of ice or snow16.
(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, 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.Form
(fôrm)
, Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Formed
(fôrmd)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Forming
.] 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 , 9.
Form
, Noun.
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
,Verb.
I.
1.
To take a form, definite shape, or arrangement;
as, the infantry should
. form
in column2.
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.
Webster 1828 Edition
Form
FORM
,Noun.
1.
The shape or external appearance of a body; the figure, as defined by lines and angles; that manner of being peculiar to each body, which exhibits it to the eye as distinct from every other body. Thus we speak of the form of a circle, the form of a square or triangle, a circular form, the form of the head or of the human body, a handsome form, an ugly form, a frightful form.Matter is the basis or substratum of bodies, form is the particular disposition of matter in each body which distinguishes its appearance from that of every other body.
The form of his visage was changed. Dan. 3.
After that he appeared in another form to two of them, as they walked. Mark 16.
2.
Manner of arranging particulars; disposition of particular things; as a form of words or expressions.3.
Model; draught; pattern.Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me. 2Tim. 1.
4.
Beauty; elegance; splendor; dignity.He hath no form nor comeliness. Isa. 53.
5.
Regularity; method; order. This is a rough draught to be reduced to form.6.
External appearance without the essential qualities; empty show.7.
Stated method; established practice; ritual or prescribed mode; as the forms of public worship; the forms of judicial proceeding; forms of civility.8.
Ceremony; as, it is a mere matter of form.9.
Determinate shape.The earth was without form, and void. Gen. 1.