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Shape

//ʃeɪp// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The status or condition of something countable, uncountable

    "The used bookshop wouldn’t offer much due to the poor shape of the book."

  2. 2
    the spatial arrangement of something as distinct from its substance wordnet
  3. 3
    Condition of personal health, especially muscular health. countable, uncountable

    "The vet checked to see what kind of shape the animal was in."

  4. 4
    the visual appearance of something or someone wordnet
  5. 5
    A graphical representation of an object's form or its external boundary, outline, or external surface. countable, uncountable

    "What shape shall we use for the cookies? Stars, circles, or diamonds?"

Show 13 more definitions
  1. 6
    any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline) wordnet
  2. 7
    Form; formation. countable, uncountable

    "Your head is a funny shape, rather oblong."

  3. 8
    alternative names for the body of a human being wordnet
  4. 9
    A geometric figure defined by its surfaces, lines, and angles, existing in 2D or 3D countable, uncountable
  5. 10
    a perceptual structure wordnet
  6. 11
    A rolled or hammered piece, such as a bar, beam, angle iron, etc., having a cross section different from merchant bar. countable, uncountable
  7. 12
    a concrete representation of an otherwise nebulous concept wordnet
  8. 13
    A piece which has been roughly forged nearly to the form it will receive when completely forged or fitted. countable, uncountable
  9. 14
    the supreme headquarters that advises NATO on military matters and oversees all aspects of the Allied Command Europe wordnet
  10. 15
    A mould for making blancmange, jelly, etc., or a piece of such food formed moulded into a particular shape. archaic, countable, uncountable

    "And if I 'm late for supper there 's a dish of macaroni cheese you must put in the oven and a tin of tomatoes to eat with it. And there is a little rhubarb and shape."

  11. 16
    the state of (good) health (especially in the phrases ‘in condition’ or ‘in shape’ or ‘out of condition’ or ‘out of shape’) wordnet
  12. 17
    A loaded die. countable, uncountable

    "A top cheater seldom ever uses shapes or loaded dice because they do not assure you of winning."

  13. 18
    In the Hack programming language, a group of data fields each of which has a name and a data type. countable, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To create or make. Northern-England, Scotland, rare

    "Earth was shapen by God for God's folk."

  2. 2
    give shape or form to wordnet
  3. 3
    To give something a shape and definition. transitive

    "Shape the dough into a pretzel. For my art project, I plan to shape my clay lump into a bowl."

  4. 4
    shape or influence; give direction to wordnet
  5. 5
    To form or manipulate something into a certain shape.

    "Mature the Virgin was of Egypt's Race: / Grace ſhap'd her Limbs; and Beauty deck'd her Face: […]"

Show 4 more definitions
  1. 6
    make something, usually for a specific function wordnet
  2. 7
    To give influence to. person
  3. 8
    To suit; to be adjusted or conformable.

    "The more of you 'twas felt, the more it shap'd / Unto my end of stealing them"

  4. 9
    To imagine; to conceive. obsolete

    "Oft my jealousy / Shapes faults that are not."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English shap, schape, from Old English ġesceap (“shape, form, created being, creature, creation, dispensation, fate, condition, sex, gender, genitalia”), from Proto-West Germanic *ga- + *skap, from Proto-Germanic *ga- + *skapą (“shape, nature, condition”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kep- (“to split, cut”). The verb is from Middle English shapen, schapen, from Old English scieppan (“to shape, form, make, create, assign, arrange, destine, order, adjudge”), from Proto-West Germanic *skappjan, from Proto-Germanic *skapjaną (“to create”), from the noun. The noun is cognate with Middle Dutch schap (“form”), Middle High German geschaf (“creature”), Icelandic skap (“state, condition, temper, mood”). The verb is cognate with Dutch scheppen, German schaffen, Swedish skapa (“create, make”), Norwegian Bokmål skape (“create”). Doublet of -ship.

Etymology 2

From Middle English shap, schape, from Old English ġesceap (“shape, form, created being, creature, creation, dispensation, fate, condition, sex, gender, genitalia”), from Proto-West Germanic *ga- + *skap, from Proto-Germanic *ga- + *skapą (“shape, nature, condition”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kep- (“to split, cut”). The verb is from Middle English shapen, schapen, from Old English scieppan (“to shape, form, make, create, assign, arrange, destine, order, adjudge”), from Proto-West Germanic *skappjan, from Proto-Germanic *skapjaną (“to create”), from the noun. The noun is cognate with Middle Dutch schap (“form”), Middle High German geschaf (“creature”), Icelandic skap (“state, condition, temper, mood”). The verb is cognate with Dutch scheppen, German schaffen, Swedish skapa (“create, make”), Norwegian Bokmål skape (“create”). Doublet of -ship.

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