shape (sh p)n.1. a. The characteristic surface configuration of a thing; an outline or contour. See Synonyms at form. b. Something distinguished from its surroundings by its outline. 2. The contour of a person's body; the figure. 3. a. A definite distinctive form: "The bomb gave the shape of life, outer and inner, an irreversible charge; a sense of fatefulness would now lie on all things" Alfred Kazin. b. A desirable form: a fabric that holds its shape. 4. A form or condition in which something may exist or appear; embodiment: a god in the shape of a swan. 5. Assumed or false appearance; guise. 6. A ghostly form; a phantom. 7. Something, such as a mold or pattern, used to give or determine form. 8. The proper condition of something necessary for action, effectiveness, or use: an athlete in excellent shape. v. shaped, shap·ing, shapes v.tr.1. To give a particular form to; create. 2. To cause to conform to a particular form or pattern; adapt to fit. 3. a. To plan to bring about the realization or accomplishment of; devise. b. To embody in a definite form: shaped a folk legend into a full-scale opera. 4. a. To adapt to a particular use or purpose; adjust. b. To direct the course of: "He shaped history as well as being shaped by it" Robert J. Samuelson. v.intr.1. To come to pass; happen. 2. To take on a definite shape or form. Often used with up or into. Phrasal Verb: shape up1. Informal To turn out; develop. 2. To improve so as to meet a standard: Either shape up or ship out.
[Middle English, from Old English gesceap, a creation.]
shap a·ble, shapea·ble adj. shaped adj. shaper n. |
shape Noun 1. the outward form of an object, produced by its outline 2. the figure or outline of the body of a person 3. organized or definite form: to preserve the union in its present shape 4. the specific form that anything takes on: a gold locket in the shape of a heart 5. pattern or mould 6. condition or state of efficiency: in poor shape 7. take shape to assume a definite form Verb [shaping, shaped] 1. (often foll. by into, up)to receive or cause to receive shape or form: spinach shaped into a ball 2. to mould into a particular pattern or form 3. to devise or develop: to shape a system of free trade See also shape up [Old English gesceap, literally: that which is created] ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms | Noun | 1. |  shape - any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline); "he could barely make out their shapes"bluntness, dullness - without sharpness or clearness of edge or point; "the dullness of the pencil made his writing illegible" topography - the configuration of a surface and the relations among its man-made and natural features angularity - the property possessed by a shape that has angles curvature, curve - the property possessed by the curving of a line or surface roundness - the property possessed by a line or surface that is curved and not angular straightness - freedom from crooks or curves or bends or angles crookedness - having or distinguished by crooks or curves or bends or angles | | 2. | shape - the spatial arrangement of something as distinct from its substance; "geometry is the mathematical science of shape"attribute - an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of an entity solid - a three-dimensional shape plane, sheet - (mathematics) an unbounded two-dimensional shape; "we will refer to the plane of the graph as the X-Y plane"; "any line joining two points on a plane lies wholly on that plane" flare, flair - a shape that spreads outward; "the skirt had a wide flare" figure - a combination of points and lines and planes that form a visible palpable shape line - a length (straight or curved) without breadth or thickness; the trace of a moving point round shape - a shape that is curved and without sharp angles circle - something approximating the shape of a circle; "the chairs were arranged in a circle" square - something approximating the shape of a square triangle - something approximating the shape of a triangle; "the coastline of Chile and Argentina and Brazil forms two legs of a triangle" pillar, tower, column - anything that approximates the shape of a column or tower; "the test tube held a column of white powder"; "a tower of dust rose above the horizon"; "a thin pillar of smoke betrayed their campsite" plume - anything that resembles a feather in shape or lightness; "a plume of smoke"; "grass with large plumes" | | 3. |  shape - 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"chassis, bod, human body, material body, physical body, physique, build, anatomy, figure, flesh, frame, soma, form human, human being, homo, man - any living or extinct member of the family Hominidae characterized by superior intelligence, articulate speech, and erect carriage person - a human body (usually including the clothing); "a weapon was hidden on his person" | | 4. | shape - a concrete representation of an otherwise nebulous concept; "a circle was the embodiment of his concept of life" | | 5. | shape - the visual appearance of something or someone; "the delicate cast of his features" | | 6. | shape - the state of (good) health (especially in the phrases `in condition' or `in shape' or `out of condition' or `out of shape') | | 7. | SHAPE - the supreme headquarters that advises NATO on military matters and oversees all aspects of the Allied Command Europe | | 8. |  shape - 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"structure - the complex composition of knowledge as elements and their combinations; "his lectures have no structure" fractal - (mathematics) a geometric pattern that is repeated at every scale and so cannot be represented by classical geometry gestalt - a configuration or pattern of elements so unified as a whole that it cannot be described merely as a sum of its parts grid - a pattern of regularly spaced horizontal and vertical lines kaleidoscope - a complex pattern of constantly changing colors and shapes mosaic - a pattern resembling a mosaic strand - a pattern forming a unity within a larger structural whole; "he tried to pick up the strands of his former life"; "I could hear several melodic strands simultaneously" | | Verb | 1. | shape - shape or influence; give direction to; "experience often determines ability"; "mold public opinion"dispose, incline - make receptive or willing towards an action or attitude or belief; "Their language inclines us to believe them" miscreate - shape or form or make badly; "Our miscreated fantasies" carry weight - have influence to a specified degree; "Her opinion carries a lot of weight" decide - influence or determine; "The vote in New Hampshire often decides the outcome of the Presidential election" reshape - shape anew or differently; "The new foreign minister reshaped the foreign policy of his country" time - set the speed, duration, or execution of; "we time the process to manufacture our cars very precisely" index - adjust through indexation; "The government indexes wages and prices" pace - regulate or set the pace of; "Pace your efforts" cause, do, make - give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally; "cause a commotion"; "make a stir"; "cause an accident" | | 2. | shape - 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"carve - form by carving; "Carve a flower from the ice" chip - form by chipping; "They chipped their names in the stone" layer - make or form a layer; "layer the different colored sands" cut out - form and create by cutting out; "Picasso cut out a guitar from a piece of paper" machine - turn, shape, mold, or otherwise finish by machinery grind - shape or form by grinding; "grind lenses for glasses and cameras" stamp - form or cut out with a mold, form, or die; "stamp needles" puddle - subject to puddling or form by puddling; "puddle iron" beat - shape by beating; "beat swords into ploughshares" preform - form or shape beforehand or determine the shape of beforehand preform - form into a shape resembling the final, desired one mound - form into a rounded elevation; "mound earth" sinter - cause (ores or powdery metals) to become a coherent mass by heating without melting mould, mold, cast - form by pouring (e.g., wax or hot metal) into a cast or mold; "cast a bronze sculpture" throw - make on a potter's wheel; "she threw a beautiful teapot" work on, work, process - shape, form, or improve a material; "work stone into tools"; "process iron"; "work the metal" sculpt, sculpture - create by shaping stone or wood or any other hard material; "sculpt a swan out of a block of ice" | | 3. | shape - give shape or form to; "shape the dough"; "form the young child's character"alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" individuate - give individual shape or form to; "Language that individuates his memories" tie - form a knot or bow in; "tie a necktie" terrace - make into terraces as for cultivation; "The Incas terraced their mountainous land" fork - shape like a fork; "She forked her fingers" tabulate - shape or cut with a flat surface dimension - shape or form to required dimensions roll - shape by rolling; "roll a cigarette" draw - flatten, stretch, or mold metal or glass, by rolling or by pulling it through a die or by stretching; "draw steel" strike - cause to form (an electric arc) between electrodes of an arc lamp; "strike an arc" twist - form into twists; "Twist the strips of dough" sliver - form into slivers; "sliver wood" ridge - form into a ridge plume - form a plume; "The chimneys were pluming the sky"; "The engine was pluming black smoke" scollop, scallop - shape or cut in scallops; "scallop the hem of the dress" square, square up - make square; "Square the circle"; "square the wood with a file" dish - make concave; shape like a dish fit - make fit; "fit a dress"; "He fitted other pieces of paper to his cut-out" flatten - make flat or flatter; "flatten a road"; "flatten your stomach with these exercises" deform, distort, strain - alter the shape of (something) by stress; "His body was deformed by leprosy" blow - shape by blowing; "Blow a glass vase" block - shape into a block or blocks; "block the graphs so one can see the results clearly" block - shape by using a block; "Block a hat"; "block a garment" cup - form into the shape of a cup; "She cupped her hands" turn - shape by rotating on a lathe or cutting device or a wheel; "turn the legs of the table"; "turn the clay on the wheel" |
shape  Translations SHAPE [ʃeɪp] n abbr (= Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe) → cuartel general de las fuerzas aliadas en Europa
shape [ʃeɪp] n → formavi (also: shape up) [events] → desarrollarse; [person] → formarse; to take shape → tomar forma; to get o.s. into shape → ponerse en forma or en condiciones; in the shape of a heart → en forma de corazón; I can't bear gardening in any shape or form → no aguanto la jardinería de ningún modo
 SHAPE [ʃeɪp] n abbr (= Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe) → quartier général des forces alliées en Europe
shape [ʃeɪp] n → forme fin the shape of a heart → en forme de cœur; to get o.s. into shape → (re)trouver la forme
 SHAPE [ʃeɪp] n abbr ( Mil) (= Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe) → Hauptquartier der alliierten Streitkräfte in Europa während des 2. Weltkriegs
shape [ʃeɪp] n → Form f (form) → formen; in the shape of a heart → in Herzform; to get (o.s.) into shape → in Form kommen
 SHAPE [ʃeɪp] n abbr (= Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe) → supremo quartier generale delle Potenze Alleate in Europa
shape [ʃeɪp] n → formavt [+ clay, stone] → dar forma a; vi (also: shape up) [events] → andare, mettersi: [person] → cavarsela; in the shape of a heart → a forma di cuore; to get o.s. into shape → rimettersi in forma;
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