Library / English Dictionary

SHAPE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The spatial arrangement of something as distinct from its substance

Example:

geometry is the mathematical science of shape

Synonyms:

form; shape

Classified under:

Nouns with no superordinates

Hypernyms ("shape" is a kind of...):

attribute (an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of an entity)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "shape"):

solid (a three-dimensional shape)

plane; sheet ((mathematics) an unbounded two-dimensional shape)

natural shape (a shape created by natural forces; not man-made)

flair; flare (a shape that spreads outward)

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)

angular shape; angularity (a shape having one or more sharp angles)

round shape (a shape that is curved and without sharp angles)

distorted shape; distortion (a shape resulting from distortion)

amorphous shape (an ill-defined or arbitrary shape)

connection; connexion; link (a connecting shape)

circle (something approximating the shape of a circle)

square (something approximating the shape of a square)

triangle (something approximating the shape of a triangle)

column; pillar; tower (anything that approximates the shape of a column or tower)

plume (anything that resembles a feather in shape or lightness)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The visual appearance of something or someone

Example:

the delicate cast of his features

Synonyms:

cast; form; shape

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("shape" is a kind of...):

appearance; visual aspect (outward or visible aspect of a person or thing)

Derivation:

shape (give shape or form to)

shape (make something, usually for a specific function)

shapely (having a well-proportioned and pleasing shape)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)

Example:

he could barely make out their shapes

Synonyms:

configuration; conformation; contour; form; shape

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("shape" is a kind of...):

spatial property; spatiality (any property relating to or occupying space)

Attribute:

straight (having no deviations)

crooked (having or marked by bends or angles; not straight or aligned)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "shape"):

keenness; sharpness (thinness of edge or fineness of point)

bluntness; dullness (without sharpness or clearness of edge or point)

topography (the configuration of a surface and the relations among its man-made and natural features)

lobularity (the property of having lobules)

concaveness; concavity (the property possessed by a concave shape)

convexity; convexness (the property possessed by a convex shape)

angularity (the property possessed by a shape that has angles)

narrowing (an instance of becoming narrow)

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)

stratification (a layered configuration)

Derivation:

shape (give shape or form to)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Alternative names for the body of a human being

Example:

the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

Synonyms:

anatomy; bod; build; chassis; figure; flesh; form; frame; human body; material body; physical body; physique; shape; soma

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("shape" is a kind of...):

body; organic structure (the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "shape"):

person (a human body (usually including the clothing))

juvenile body (the body of a young person)

adult body (the body of an adult human being)

male body (the body of a male human being)

female body (the body of a female human being)

Holonyms ("shape" is a part of...):

individual; mortal; person; somebody; someone; soul (a human being)

homo; human; human being; man (any living or extinct member of the family Hominidae characterized by superior intelligence, articulate speech, and erect carriage)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A perceptual structure

Example:

a visual pattern must include not only objects but the spaces between them

Synonyms:

form; pattern; shape

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("shape" is a kind of...):

structure (the complex composition of knowledge as elements and their combinations)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "shape"):

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)

Holonyms ("shape" is a part of...):

percept; perception; perceptual experience (the representation of what is perceived; basic component in the formation of a concept)

Derivation:

shape (shape or influence; give direction to)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A concrete representation of an otherwise nebulous concept

Example:

a circle was the embodiment of his concept of life

Synonyms:

embodiment; shape

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("shape" is a kind of...):

concrete representation; concretism (a representation of an abstract idea in concrete terms)

Derivation:

shape (shape or influence; give direction to)

Sense 7

Meaning:

The supreme headquarters that advises NATO on military matters and oversees all aspects of the Allied Command Europe

Synonyms:

SHAPE; Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("SHAPE" is a kind of...):

high command; supreme headquarters (the highest leaders in an organization (e.g. the commander-in-chief and senior officers of the military))

Holonyms ("SHAPE" is a part of...):

NATO; North Atlantic Treaty Organization (an international organization created in 1949 by the North Atlantic Treaty for purposes of collective security)

Sense 8

Meaning:

The state of (good) health (especially in the phrases 'in condition' or 'in shape' or 'out of condition' or 'out of shape')

Synonyms:

condition; shape

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("shape" is a kind of...):

good health; healthiness (the state of being vigorous and free from bodily or mental disease)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "shape"):

fitness; physical fitness (good physical condition; being in shape or in condition)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Give shape or form to

Example:

form the young child's character

Synonyms:

form; shape

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "shape" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "shape"):

individuate (give individual shape or form to)

tie (form a knot or bow in)

terrace (make into terraces as for cultivation)

fork (shape like a fork)

tabulate (shape or cut with a flat surface)

dimension (shape or form to required dimensions)

roll (shape by rolling)

draw (flatten, stretch, or mold metal or glass, by rolling or by pulling it through a die or by stretching)

strike (cause to form (an electric arc) between electrodes of an arc lamp)

crystalise; crystalize; crystallise; crystallize (cause to take on a definite and clear shape)

twist (form into twists)

sliver (form into slivers)

ridge (form into a ridge)

plume (form a plume)

round; round off; round out (make round)

scallop; scollop (shape or cut in scallops)

square; square up (make square)

dish (make concave; shape like a dish)

fit (make fit)

flatten (make flat or flatter)

deform; distort; strain (alter the shape of (something) by stress)

blow (shape by blowing)

block (shape into a block or blocks)

block (shape by using a block)

cup (form into the shape of a cup)

circle; encircle (form or draw a circle around)

turn (shape by rotating on a lathe or cutting device or a wheel)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

shape (the visual appearance of something or someone)

shape (any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline))

shaper (a machine tool for shaping metal or wood)

shaper (a person who makes things)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Shape or influence; give direction to

Example:

mold public opinion

Synonyms:

determine; influence; mold; regulate; shape

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "shape" is one way to...):

cause; do; make (give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "shape"):

dispose; incline (make receptive or willing towards an action or attitude or belief)

disincline; indispose (make unwilling)

miscreate (shape or form or make badly)

carry weight (have influence to a specified degree)

decide (influence or determine)

reshape (shape anew or differently)

time (set the speed, duration, or execution of)

index (adjust through indexation)

pace (regulate or set the pace of)

predetermine (determine beforehand)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s something
Somebody ----s whether INFINITIVE

Derivation:

shape (a perceptual structure)

shape (a concrete representation of an otherwise nebulous concept)

shaping (any process serving to define the shape of something)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make something, usually for a specific function

Example:

Work the metal into a sword

Synonyms:

forge; form; mold; mould; shape; work

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "shape" is one way to...):

create from raw material; create from raw stuff (make from scratch)

Verb group:

process; work; work on (shape, form, or improve a material)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "shape"):

carve (form by carving)

swage; upset (form metals with a swage)

chip (form by chipping)

layer (make or form a layer)

cut out (form and create by cutting out)

machine (turn, shape, mold, or otherwise finish by machinery)

grind (shape or form by grinding)

stamp (form or cut out with a mold, form, or die)

puddle (subject to puddling or form by puddling)

beat (shape by beating)

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)

hill (form into a hill)

roughcast (shape roughly)

remold; reshape (shape again or shape differently)

sinter (cause (ores or powdery metals) to become a coherent mass by heating without melting)

cast; mold; mould (form by pouring (e.g., wax or hot metal) into a cast or mold)

throw (make on a potter's wheel)

coil; hand-build; handbuild (make without a potter's wheel)

sculpt; sculpture (create by shaping stone or wood or any other hard material)

model; mold; mould (form in clay, wax, etc)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

shape (the visual appearance of something or someone)

shaper (a person who makes things)

shaping (the act of fabricating something in a particular shape)

Credits

 Context examples: 

An invasive adenocarcinoma characterized by focal or extensive transformation of the malignant glandular cells to spindle-shaped cells.

(Adenocarcinoma with Spindle Cell Metaplasia, NCI Thesaurus)

A melanoma characterized by the presence of malignant large epithelioid melanocytes and malignant spindle-shaped melanocytes.

(Mixed Epithelioid and Spindle Cell Melanoma, NCI Thesaurus)

A species of facultatively anaerobic, Gram positive, cocci shaped bacteria in the phylum Firmicutes.

(Abiotrophia defectiva, NCI Thesaurus)

The oval seal is undoubtedly a plain sleeve-link—what else is of such a shape?

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He went back to put his pack into shape for travelling.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Exactly so—The shape of the eye and the lines about the mouth—I have not a doubt of your success.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

They were irregular shapes and sizes.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

I had been calm during the day, but so soon as night obscured the shapes of objects, a thousand fears arose in my mind.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Though astronomers are uncertain of the shape and temperature of coronas, they know that they contain particles that move close to the speed of light.

(NuSTAR sees rare blurring of black hole light, NASA)

Now this fairy could take any shape she pleased.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)