form
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
How often you will meet it
Rank 593 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 32,845 times across 175,112 chapters — 0.016% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 1,000 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
noun
- the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something also: word form, signifier, descriptor the inflected forms of a word can be represented by a stem and a list of inflections to be attached
- a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality also: kind, sort, variety sculpture is a form of artwhat kinds of desserts are there?
- a perceptual structure also: shape, pattern the composition presents problems for students of musical forma visual pattern must include not only objects but the spaces between them
- any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline) also: shape, configuration, contour, conformation he could barely make out their shapes
- alternative names for the body of a human being also: human body, physical body, material body, soma, build, figure Leonardo studied the human bodyhe has a strong physique
- the spatial arrangement of something as distinct from its substance also: shape geometry is the mathematical science of shape
form in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
-
Against the farther wall the bed was like an enormous shadow, without form.
The Abandoned Room · Wadsworth Camp · Chapter 1
-
The highest as the lowest form of criticism is a mode of autobiography.
The Picture of Dorian Gray · Oscar Wilde · Chapter 1
-
A brighter star, I'm sure I never saw-- And perfect form, without a speck or flaw.
The White Christmas and other Merry · Walter Ben Hare · Chapter 1
-
He began at the lowest form with the name of a small urchin sitting near John.
The Hill: A Romance of Friendship · Horace Annesley Vachell · Chapter 1
-
If Right Hon. Gentleman wanted to move the Closure, he should do so in the form provided.
Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 · Various · Chapter 1