form

FORM/fɔɹm/UKFAWM/fɔːm/

Pluralforms

Verbforms, forming, formed

31 meanings of form

Practice

1
nouncountable
A kind or type of something, or a certain way that something exists or shows itself.
Walking is a cheap and easy form of exercise.
Help can come in many forms, like money, food, or a kind word.
UsageSay a form of exercise or in the form of money.
Similarkind, type, variety, sort, version
Note
2
createverbtransitive
To put parts together to make something new.
Like getting friends together to start a team.
They decided to form a club after school.
A group of parents formed a committee to help.
UsageSay form a club or form a line.
Similarestablish, create, found, forge, organize
Oppositedissolve, disband
Note
3
fill-in sheetnouncountable or uncountable
A printed or digital sheet with blank spaces you fill in.
Like a sheet with empty boxes where you write your name and details.
Please fill out this form before you see the doctor.
I forgot to sign the form at the bottom.
UsageSay fill out a form or fill in a form.
4
verbintransitive
To start to exist or to take a certain shape, often slowly.
Like dew appearing on grass in the morning.
Ice began to form on the pond overnight.
A long line formed outside the store.
UsageSay ice formed on the pond.
Similardevelop, emerge, arise, materialize
Oppositedisappear, dissolve, disperse, dissipate
5
shapenouncountable or uncountable
The outer shape or structure of a person or thing.
Like the outline you see when you trace around an object.
The statue had a tall, slender form.
We could just make out the form of a ship in the fog.
Similarshape, figure, outline, silhouette, body
Note
6
verbtransitive
To make up or be the parts of something.
Like bricks that make up a wall.
These twelve players form the whole team.
Eleven players form a soccer team.
UsageSay form the main part of something.
Similarconstitute, compose, represent
Note
7
give shapeverbtransitive
To give a shape or structure to something.
Like shaping a snowball with your hands.
She formed the clay into a small bowl.
You can form the dough into balls with your hands.
UsageSay form dough into balls.
Similarshape, mold, fashion, model, sculpt
8
current performancenouncountable or uncountable
How well a person or team is playing or performing.
Like how a runner who has trained well is ready to win.
The striker is in great form this season.
Her form dropped after the injury.
Usagein great form means playing very well.
Similarshape, condition, fitness, performance
Note
9
basic structurenouncountable or uncountable
The way something is built, organized, or arranged.
Like the way a building is laid out inside.
The new government took the form of a republic.
The poem has a simple form: four short lines in each verse.
UsageSay a form of government.
Similarstructure, shape, organization, arrangement, framework
Note
10
nouncountable or uncountable
The particular shape a word takes in grammar, like its plural or past tense.
Like how "run" becomes "ran" when you talk about the past.
The word "mice" is the plural form of "mouse".
"Went" is the past form of "go".
UsageSay the plural form of a word.
Similarinflection, variant
Note

Less common meanings

11
techniquenouncountable or uncountable
The way someone does a physical movement or exercise.
Like the right way to hold a bat so you hit the ball well.
Keep good form when you lift the weights.
The coach fixed her running form.
UsageSay good form when lifting weights.
Similartechnique, style, posture, execution
Note
12
moldnouncountable or uncountable
A hollow shape used to give other things their shape, like a mold.
Like a jelly mold that gives the dessert its shape.
They poured the wet concrete into a wooden form.
They poured wet concrete into wooden forms to make the new steps.
Similarmold, mould, cast
Note
13
empty shownouncountable or uncountable
An empty show or ceremony done only because it is expected.
Like clapping politely even when you didn't enjoy the show.
He shook hands as a matter of form, not friendship.
They asked for my opinion only as a matter of form.
Usageas a matter of form means only because it is usual.
Similarshow, ritual, ceremony, pretense, theater
Oppositesubstance
Note
14
dialog boxnouncountable or uncountable
A window or box on a screen where a program shows buttons and information.
Like a single screen that holds all the buttons you need in one place.
The developer dragged a button onto the form in the design view.
When the app starts, the main form appears with all its menus.
Similardialog, window
Note
15
build wordsverbtransitive
To make a new word by changing or adding parts to another word.
Like building a new toy by adding pieces to one you already have.
English speakers form the plural of most nouns by adding an s.
You can form an adverb from many adjectives by adding -ly.
Similarmake, create, construct, build, derive
Note
16
school classnounUKcountable or uncountable
A class or year-group of students in a British school.
Like a grade in an American school, where the kids are all about the same age.
There are thirty pupils in her form at school.
The whole form went on a trip to the museum.
UsageSay in the same form: the same class.
Similaryear, grade, class
Note
17
nouncountable or uncountable
An example document that you copy or follow when making your own.
Like tracing a picture by copying one that is already drawn.
The young lawyer copied the wording straight from a standard form.
Her lawyer drafted the lease from a form in an old law book.
Similartemplate, model, precedent, pattern
18
train (people)verbtransitive
To shape someone's character or mind through teaching and training.
Like shaping wet clay into a pot with your hands.
Good teachers form young minds as much as they fill them with facts.
The academy aims to form disciplined officers through years of hard training.
Similarshape, mold, train, develop, educate
Note
19
conventionnouncountable or uncountable
A fixed or accepted way of doing or saying something.
Like the polite words you always say when you answer the phone.
There is a proper form for writing a thank-you letter.
He greeted the queen using the correct form.
Similarconvention, protocol, procedure, custom, practice
Note
20
nature (philosophy)nouncountable or uncountable
The basic nature that makes a thing what it is, or the framework the mind brings to understanding it.
Like the idea of "a chair" that all real chairs share.
For Plato, the form of a thing was more real than the thing itself.
Kant argued that space and time belong to the form the mind brings to experience.
Similaressence
Oppositematter
Note
21
track recordnounUKcountable or uncountable
A person's past record, especially a habit of doing something wrong before.
Like a list of things someone has done before that follows them around.
The detective noted that the suspect had form for burglary.
He's got form when it comes to turning up late.
UsageSay someone has form for something: he has form for being late.
Similarrecord, history
Note
22
nouncountable or uncountable
Beauty and balance that come from a regular, well-ordered shape.
Like how a tidy garden looks lovely because everything is arranged just right.
The young artist's drawings were full of life but lacked form.
Critics praised the building's form, all clean lines and graceful balance.
Similarproportion, symmetry, elegance, grace, balance
23
social ranknounarchaiccountable or uncountable
A person's rank or class within society.
ladies of a high form
a. 1716 (date written), [Gilbert] Burnet, Bishop Burnet’s History of His Own Time.Here, form means rank or class in society.
Note
24
locked typenoundatedcountable or uncountable
In printing, the set of type locked in a frame and ready to print from.
Like a tray of stamps held tightly together so they all print at once.
The printer lifted the heavy form onto the press and began printing.
And the form is inked, the paper is applied, the bed is slid, and the platen is levered down and the proof is printed.
2010, Andrea Levy, The Long SongHere, form means the set of type locked in a frame, ready to print.
Note
25
benchnoundatedcountable or uncountable
A long wooden bench that has no back to lean on.
Like a long bench in a park, but with no back to rest against.
Six pupils squeezed together on the long form at the back of the classroom.
In the hall. One large table, with frame. 10s. ij cobbordes 8s. j fourme, j chaire, and j kenninge measure, 12d.
1585, Wills and Inventories from the Registry at DurhamHere, fourme means a long wooden bench with no back.
Similarbench
Note
26
noun
A small group within a species, ranked below the larger divisions.
27
noun
A group of flat crystal faces that match because of the crystal's symmetry.
28
noun
The small dip in the ground where a hare rests.
29
noun
In math, a polynomial in two or more variables where every term has the same degree.
30
verb
To give a hare a resting place.
31
verb
To treat battery plates with electric current so the battery can store charge.

Practice

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Origin

From Latin "forma" meaning shape or figure. It came into English through Old French "forme" and Middle English "forme".

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

English form derives ultimately from Latin forma. en.wiktionary.org
Latin forma means shape or figure. en.wiktionary.org
The word passed through Old French forme and Middle English forme into modern English. en.wiktionary.org