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formal

   Also found in: Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.05 sec.
for·mal  (fôrml)
adj.
1.
a. Relating to or involving outward form or structure.
b. Being or relating to essential form or constitution: a formal principle.
2.
a. Following or being in accord with accepted forms, conventions, or regulations: had little formal education; went to a formal party.
b. Executed, carried out, or done in proper or regular form: a formal reprimand; a formal document.
3.
a. Characterized by strict or meticulous observation of forms; methodical: very formal in their business transactions.
b. Stiffly ceremonious: a formal manner; a formal greeting; a formal bow to the monarch.
4. Having the outward appearance but lacking in substance: a formal requirement that is usually ignored.
n.
Something, such as a gown or social affair, that is formal in nature.

[Middle English, from Latin frmlis, from frma, shape.]

formal·ly adv.
formal·ness n.

formal
Adjective
1. of or following established conventions: formal talks, a formal announcement
2. characterized by conventional forms of ceremony and behaviour: a small formal dinner party
3. suitable for occasions organized according to conventional ceremony: formal cocktail frocks
4. methodical and organized: a formal approach
5. (of education and training) given officially at a school, college, etc.: he had no formal training in maths
6. symmetrical in form: a formal garden
7. relating to the form or structure of something as distinguished from its substance or content: they addressed the formal elements of the structure of police work
8. Philosophy logically deductive rather than based on facts and observation [Latin formalis]
formally adv
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.formal - a lavish dance requiring formal attire
dance - a party for social dancing
cotilion, cotillion - a ball at which young ladies are presented to society
fancy-dress ball, masked ball, masquerade ball - a ball at which guests wear costumes and masks
prom, promenade - a formal ball held for a school class toward the end of the academic year
2.formal - a gown for evening wear
evening clothes, evening dress, eveningwear, formalwear - attire to wear on formal occasions in the evening
gown - a woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions
Adj.1.formal - being in accord with established forms and conventions and requirements (as e.g. of formal dress); "pay one's formal respects"; "formal dress"; "a formal ball"; "the requirement was only formal and often ignored"; "a formal education"
conventional - following accepted customs and proprieties; "conventional wisdom"; "she had strayed from the path of conventional behavior"; "conventional forms of address"
formal - (of spoken and written language) adhering to traditional standards of correctness and without casual, contracted, and colloquial forms; "the paper was written in formal English"
informal - not formal; "conservative people unaccustomed to informal dress"; "an informal free-and-easy manner"; "an informal gathering of friends"
2.formal - characteristic of or befitting a person in authority; "formal duties"; "an official banquet"
official - having official authority or sanction; "official permission"; "an official representative"
3.formal - (of spoken and written language) adhering to traditional standards of correctness and without casual, contracted, and colloquial forms; "the paper was written in formal English"
formal - being in accord with established forms and conventions and requirements (as e.g. of formal dress); "pay one's formal respects"; "formal dress"; "a formal ball"; "the requirement was only formal and often ignored"; "a formal education"
rhetorical - given to rhetoric, emphasizing style at the expense of thought; "mere rhetorical frippery"
informal - used of spoken and written language
4.formal - represented in simplified or symbolic form
beaux arts, fine arts - the study and creation of visual works of art
nonrepresentational - of or relating to a style of art in which objects do not resemble those known in physical nature
5.formal - logically deductive; "formal proof"
logical - capable of or reflecting the capability for correct and valid reasoning; "a logical mind"
6.formal - refined or imposing in manner or appearance; befitting a royal court; "a courtly gentleman"
dignified - having or expressing dignity; especially formality or stateliness in bearing or appearance; "her dignified demeanor"; "the director of the school was a dignified white-haired gentleman"

formal
Translations
formal [ˈfɔːməl] adj [offer, receipt] → por escrito; [person etc] → correcto; [occasion, dinner] → ceremonioso;
formal dress → traje m de vestir (= evening dress); traje m de etiqueta

formal [ˈfɔːməl] adj [offer, receipt] → en bonne et due forme; [person] → cérémonieux/euse, à cheval sur les convenances; [occasion, dinner] → officiel(le); [garden] → à la française;
(Art, Philosophy) → formel(le); [clothes] → de soirée

formal [ˈfɔːməl] adjoffiziell;
(person, behaviour) → förmlich, formell;
(occasion, dinner) → feierlich;
(clothes) → Gesellschafts-;
(garden) → formell angelegt;
(Art, Philosophy) → formal;
formal dress → Gesellschaftskleidung f

formal [ˈfɔːməl] adj [offer, receipt] → vero/a e proprio/a; [person] → cerimonioso/a; [occasion, dinner] → formale, ufficiale;
(ART, PHILOSOPHY) → formale;
formal dress → abito da cerimonia (= evening dress); abito da sera

formal
adj formal [ˈfoːməl]
1 done etc according to a fixed and accepted way a formal letter. formeel رَسْمي редовен formální formel; korrekt förmlich τυπικός, σύμφωνος με τους τύπους formal, oficial ametlik, vormiline رسمی virallinen, muodollinen officiel רִשמִי औपचारिक formalan, služben előírásos, formális resmi formlegur formale 型どおりの 형식을 갖춘, 공적(公的)인, 정식적인 oficialus formāls; oficiāls rasmi formeel formell, høytidelig oficjalny, urzędowy formal formal, oficial официальный formálny uraden formalan formell ตามธรรมเนียมปฏิบัติ resmî 正式的 формальний روایتی انداز میں کیا گیا trang trọng; theo nghi thức
2 suitable or correct for occasions when things are done according to a fixed and accepted way You must wear formal dress. formeel رَسْمي официален společenský formel; korrekt konventionell επίσημος de etiqueta, de ceremonia vormikohane رسمی muodollinen, juhla- de cérémonie/soirée פוֹרמָלִי आकारिक svečan, formalan formális, hivatalos resmi formlegur, hátíðlegur; samkvæmis- formale, da cerimonia 正式の 의례적인, 예를 갖춘 oficialus oficiāls rasmi formeel formell, fest-(antrekk), galla oficjalny, wieczorowy de cerimónia de seară вечерний spoločenský predpisan, večeren svečan formell, högtids- เป็นกิจจะลักษณะ resmî, törensel 禮儀上的, 合禮儀的 офіційний روایتی حالات کے لۓ مناسب trang trọng ,
3 (of behaviour, attitude etc) not relaxed and friendly formal behaviour. formeel رَسْمي въздържан obřadný formel; stiv steif τυπικός, συμβατικός (για συμπεριφορά) formal ametlik خشک و مقرراتی muodollinen compassé רִשמִי व्यवहारात्मक ukočen, služben udvariassági, feszes kaku formlegur, stífur formale 堅苦しい 형식적인, 딱딱한 oficialus, šaltas formāls kaku formeel stiv, formell, seremoniell sztywny formal protocolar для проформы formálny tog formalan formell เป็นพิธีการ resmî, ciddî 拘謹的 церемонний پر تکلف trang trọng
4 (of language) exactly correct by grammatical etc rules but not conversational Her English was very formal. formeel رَسْمي правилен граматически но неразговорен formální korrekt; formelt formell επίσημος (για γλώσσα) formal ametlik رسمی kirjakielinen soigné רִשׁמִי औपचारिक služben, birani (izraz), koji pazi na formu formális, hivatalos resmi formlegur, háttfastur formale 形式ばった 어법에 충실한 taisyklingas, knyginis (par valodu) oficiāls rasmi stijf stiv, formell, høytidelig bardzo poprawny, niekolokwialny formal îngrijit, literar официальный skostnatený knjižen zvaničan formell ที่เป็นกฎเกณฑ์ resmî 規範化的 офіційний قواعدی نہ کی عام زبان chính thức; chính thống
5 (of designs etc) precise and following a fixed pattern rather than occuring naturally formal gardens. formele رَسْمي، ذو شَكْل ثابِت подреден по специфичен начин geometrický, symetrický anlagt formgerecht συμμετρικός ordenado, simétrico range vormiga طبق قاعده kaavamainen classique צוּרָנִי बंधा-टका formalan, strog dísz- klasik reglulegur simmetrico 形の整った 계획에 따라 잘 정돈된 geometriškai išplanuotas, simetriškas regulārs; simetrisks rasmi geometrisch aangelegd formell, seremoniell formalistyczny simétrico simetric правильный; английский geometrický, symetrický urejen pravilan geometrisk regelbunden, symmetrisk เป็นรูปแบบ muntazam, belli, biçimli 佈置得很整齊的 регулярний خوش ترکیب đối xứng 布置齐的
adv formally
formele رَسْميّا тържествено formálně formelt; stift; korrekt formell επίσημα, τυπικά formalmente vormiliselt بطور رسمی muodollisesti cérémonieusement רִשׁמִית औपचारिक रूप से forlano, službeno hivatalosan, szabályszerűen; formailag secara resmi reglulega formalmente 正式に 형식적으로, 정식으로 oficialiai formāli; oficiāli dengan rasmi formeel formelt oficjalnie formalmente (din punct de vedere/în mod) formal официально;формально formálne formalno, navidezno formalno formellt อย่างเป็นกิจจะลักษณะ resmî, resmen 正式地 офіційно; формально پر تکلف انداز میں chính thức
n forˈmality [-ˈmӕ-]
1 something which is done for appearance but has little meaning The chairman's speech was only a formality. formaliteit إجْراء شَكْلي формалност formalita formalitet die Formalität τυπικότητα formalidad formaalsus تشریفات muodollisuus formalité הָלִיך רִשׁמִי औपचारिकता formalnost formaság formalitas formsatriði formalità 形式的行為 의례[]적인 것 formalumas formalitāte sebagai rasmi formaliteit formalitet, formalisme formalność formalidade formalitate формальность formalita formalnost formalnost formalitet, formsak ธรรมเนียมปฏิบัติ formalite 禮節 формальність تکلف nghi thức; thủ tục
2 unrelaxed correctness of behaviour His formality made him appear unfriendly. formaliteit سُلوك رَسْمي официалност formálnost, strojenost formalitet; stivhed; afmålthed die Förmlichkeit τυπικότητα συμπεριφοράς formalidad ametlikkus رسمی بودن muodollisuus raideur פוֹרמָלִיוּת लोकाचार službenost, ukočenost szertartásosság kekakuan formlegheit, hátíðleiki formalità, cerimoniosità 堅苦しさ 형식의 엄수, 딱딱함 oficialumas, šaltumas formāla izturēšanās kekakuan formaliteit høytidelighet sztywność formalismo pedan­terie педантизм strojenosť, konvenčnosť uradnost formalnost stelhet, formellt uppträdande ความเป็นทางการ resmiyet 拘謹 педантизм آداب و رسوم tính cách nghi thức


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Finally, there is the formal problem of defining truth and falsehood, and deriving the objective reference of a proposition from the meanings of its component words.
A sentinel at each end of the bridge stood with his rifle in the position known as "support," that is to say, vertical in front of the left shoulder, the hammer resting on the forearm thrown straight across the chest -- a formal and unnatural position, enforcing an erect carriage of the body.
just old enough to be formal, ungovernable, and to have the gout; too old to be agreeable, too young to die.
 
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