shape
Other forms: shaped; shapes; shaping
The form of something gives it its shape. Basic shapes include the square, the circle, and the triangle. You may have a nose the shape of a ski slope.
When you admire someone's shape, you're admiring their form, or their body. When you're out of shape or vowing to get back into shape, you're using shape to refer to your physical stamina or overall health. You can shape something by giving it form, as in "shape the dough into a braided twist," or influence someone, as in a teacher who shapes young minds.
Definitions of shape
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a perceptual structure
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types:
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fractal
(mathematics) a geometric pattern that is repeated at every scale and so cannot be represented by classical geometry
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gestalt
a configuration or pattern of elements so unified as a whole that it cannot be described merely as a sum of its parts
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grid
a pattern of regularly spaced horizontal and vertical lines
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kaleidoscope
a complex pattern of constantly changing colors and shapes
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mosaic
a pattern resembling a mosaic
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strand
a pattern forming a unity within a larger structural whole
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reference grid
a pattern of horizontal and vertical lines that provide coordinates for locating points on an image or a map
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Amsler grid
a pattern of small boxes that is used for self-monitoring by patients who have age-related macular degeneration
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type of:
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structure
the complex composition of knowledge as elements and their combinations
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the spatial arrangement of something as distinct from its substance“geometry is the mathematical science of shape”
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synonyms:
form
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types:
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solid
a three-dimensional shape
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plane, sheet
(mathematics) an unbounded two-dimensional shape
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natural shape
a shape created by natural forces; not man-made
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flair, flare
a shape that spreads outward
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figure
a combination of points and lines and planes that form a visible palpable shape
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line
a length (straight or curved) without breadth or thickness; the trace of a moving point
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angular shape, angularity
a shape having one or more sharp angles
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round shape
a shape that is curved and without sharp angles
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distorted shape, distortion
a shape resulting from distortion
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amorphous shape
an ill-defined or arbitrary shape
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connection, connexion, link
a connecting shape
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circle
something approximating the shape of a circle
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square
something approximating the shape of a square
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triangle
something approximating the shape of a triangle
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column, pillar, tower
anything that approximates the shape of a column or tower
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plume
anything that resembles a feather in shape or lightness
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curve
a line on a graph representing data
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Cartesian plane
a plane in which all points can be described in Cartesian coordinates
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facet plane
the plane of a facet of an object (as of a cube)
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midline, midplane
the median plane of the body (or some part of the body)
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orbital plane
(astronomy) the plane on which a body is orbiting
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picture plane
the plane that is in the foreground of a drawing or painting; coextensive with but different from the objective surface of the work
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tangent plane
the plane that contains all the lines tangent to a specific point on a surface
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leaf form, leaf shape
any of the various shape that leaves of plants can assume
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equilateral
a figure whose sides are all equal
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pencil
a figure formed by a set of straight lines or light rays meeting at a point
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plane figure, two-dimensional figure
a two-dimensional shape
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solid figure, three-dimensional figure
a three-dimensional shape
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subfigure
a figure that is a part of another figure
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bulb
anything with a round shape resembling a teardrop
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convex shape, convexity
a shape that curves or bulges outward
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concave shape, concavity, incurvation, incurvature
a shape that curves or bends inward
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cylinder
a solid bounded by a cylindrical surface and two parallel planes (the bases)
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curve, curved shape
the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes
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straight line
a line traced by a point traveling in a constant direction; a line of zero curvature
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geodesic, geodesic line
(mathematics) the shortest line between two points on a mathematically defined surface (as a straight line on a plane or an arc of a great circle on a sphere)
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perimeter
a line enclosing a plane area
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center line, centerline
a line that bisects a plane figure
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cone, cone shape, conoid
a shape whose base is a circle and whose sides taper up to a point
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disc, disk, saucer
something with a round shape resembling a flat circular plate
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coil, curl, curlicue, gyre, ringlet, roll, scroll, whorl
a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)
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convolution, swirl, vortex, whirl
the shape of something rotating rapidly
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parallel
(mathematics) one of a set of parallel geometric figures (parallel lines or planes)
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polyhedron
a solid figure bounded by plane polygons or faces
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contortion, crookedness, torsion, tortuosity, tortuousness
a tortuous and twisted shape or position
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buckle, warp
a shape distorted by twisting or folding
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gnarl, knot
something twisted and tight and swollen
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forking, furcation
the place where something divides into branches
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jog
a sharp change in direction
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zag, zig, zigzag
an angular shape characterized by sharp turns in alternating directions
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ellipsoid of revolution, spheroid
a shape that is generated by rotating an ellipse around one of its axes
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sphere
a three-dimensional closed surface such that every point on the surface is equidistant from the center
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sphere
a solid figure bounded by a spherical surface (including the space it encloses)
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cylinder
a surface generated by rotating a parallel line around a fixed line
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toroid, torus
a ring-shaped surface generated by rotating a circle around an axis that does not intersect the circle
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toroid
the doughnut-shaped object enclosed by a torus
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columella
a small column (or structure resembling a column) that is a part of a plant or animal
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hoodoo
(geology) a column of weathered and unusually shaped rock
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rim
the shape of a raised edge of a more or less circular object
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bound, boundary, edge
a line determining the limits of an area
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bend, crease, crimp, flexure, fold, plication
an angular or rounded shape made by folding
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shapelessness
an amorphous or indefinite shape
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blob
an indistinct shapeless form
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space
an empty area (usually bounded in some way between things)
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node
a connecting point at which several lines come together
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articulation, join, joint, junction, juncture
the shape or manner in which things come together and a connection is made
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cast, mold, mould, stamp
the distinctive form in which a thing is made
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block, cube
a three-dimensional shape with six square or rectangular sides
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ovoid
an egg-shaped object
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frustum
a truncated cone or pyramid; the part that is left when a cone or pyramid is cut by a plane parallel to the base and the apical part is removed
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tendril
something long, light, slender, and often curling
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segment
the part of a line between any two points
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type of:
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attribute
an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of an entity
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a concrete representation of an otherwise nebulous concept
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synonyms:
embodiment
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type of:
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concrete representation, concretism
a representation of an abstract idea in concrete terms
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concrete representation, concretism
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the visual appearance of something or someone
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type of:
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appearance, visual aspect
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
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appearance, visual aspect
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any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)“he could barely make out their shapes”
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synonyms:
configuration, conformation, contour, form
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types:
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keenness, sharpness
thinness of edge or fineness of point
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bluntness, dullness
without sharpness or clearness of edge or point
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topography
the configuration of a surface and the relations among its man-made and natural features
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lobularity
the property of having lobules
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concaveness, concavity
the property possessed by a concave shape
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convexity, convexness
the property possessed by a convex shape
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angularity
the property possessed by a shape that has angles
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narrowing
an instance of becoming narrow
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curvature, curve
the property possessed by the curving of a line or surface
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roundness
the property possessed by a line or surface that is curved and not angular
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straightness
freedom from crooks or curves or bends or angles
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crookedness
having or distinguished by crooks or curves or bends or angles
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stratification
a layered configuration
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acuteness
the quality of having a sharp edge or point
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obtuseness
the quality of lacking a sharp edge or point
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hollowness
the property of having a sunken area
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bulginess, roundedness
the property possessed by a rounded convexity
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coarctation
(biology) a narrowing or constriction of a vessel or canal; especially a congenital narrowing of the aorta
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taper
the property possessed by a shape that narrows toward a point (as a wedge or cone)
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oblongness, rectangularity
the property of being shaped like a rectangle
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triangularity
the property of being shaped like a triangle
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globosity, globularness, rotundity, rotundness, sphericalness, sphericity
the roundness of a 3-dimensional object
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cylindricality, cylindricalness
the roundness of a 3-dimensional cylinder
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circularity, disk shape
the roundness of a 2-dimensional figure
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curliness, waviness
(of hair) a tendency to curl
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straightness
(of hair) lack of a tendency to curl
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bottleneck, chokepoint, constriction
a narrowing that reduces the flow through a channel
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type of:
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spatial property, spatiality
any property relating to or occupying space
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alternate name for the body of a human being
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synonyms:
anatomy, bod, build, chassis, figure, flesh, form, frame, human body, material body, physical body, physique, soma
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types:
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person
a human body (usually including the clothing)
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juvenile body
the body of a young person
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adult body
the body of an adult human being
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male body
the body of a male human being
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female body
the body of a female human being
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child's body
the body of a human child
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adult female body, woman's body
the body of an adult woman
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adult male body, man's body
the body of an adult man
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type of:
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body, organic structure, physical structure
the entire structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
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give shape or form to“shape the dough”
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synonyms:
form
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types:
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individuate
give individual shape or form to
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tie
form a knot or bow in
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terrace
make into terraces as for cultivation
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fork
shape like a fork
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tabulate
shape or cut with a flat surface
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dimension
shape or form to required dimensions
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roll
shape by rolling
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draw
flatten, stretch, or mold metal or glass, by rolling or by pulling it through a die or by stretching
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strike
cause to form (an electric arc) between electrodes of an arc lamp
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crystalise, crystalize, crystallise, crystallize
cause to take on a definite and clear shape
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twist
form into twists
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sliver
form into slivers
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ridge
form into a ridge
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plume
form a plume
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round, round off, round out
make round
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scallop, scollop
shape or cut in scallops
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square, square up
make square
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dish
make concave; shape like a dish
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fit
make fit
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flatten
make flat or flatter
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deform, distort, strain
alter the shape of (something) by stress
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blow
shape by blowing
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block
shape into a block or blocks
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block
shape by using a block
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cup
form into the shape of a cup
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circle, encircle
form a circle around
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turn
shape by rotating on a lathe or cutting device or a wheel
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purse
contract one's lips into a rounded shape
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steamroll, steamroller
make level or flat with a steamroller
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splat
split open and flatten for cooking
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jaundice
distort adversely
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roll, roll out
flatten or spread with a roller
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laminate
press or beat (metals) into thin sheets
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dovetail
fit together tightly, as if by means of a dovetail
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make something, usually for a specific function“shape a figure”
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types:
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carve
form by carving
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swage, upset
form metals with a swage
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chip
form by chipping
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layer
make or form a layer
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cut out
form and create by cutting out
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machine
turn, shape, mold, or otherwise finish by machinery
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grind
shape or form by grinding
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stamp
form or cut out with a mold, form, or die
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puddle
subject to puddling or form by puddling
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beat
shape by beating
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preform
form or shape beforehand or determine the shape of beforehand
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preform
form into a shape resembling the final, desired one
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mound
form into a rounded elevation
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hill
form into a hill
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roughcast
shape roughly
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remold, reshape
shape again or shape differently
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sinter
cause (ores or powdery metals) to become a coherent mass by heating without melting
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cast, mold, mould
form by pouring (e.g., wax or hot metal) into a cast or mold
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throw
make on a potter's wheel
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coil, hand-build, handbuild
make without a potter's wheel
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sculpt, sculpture
create by shaping stone or wood or any other hard material
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model, mold, mould
form in clay, wax, etc
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hew, hew out
make or shape as with an axe
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gouge out
make gouges into a surface
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rabbet
cut a rectangular groove into
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grave, sculpt, sculpture
shape (a material like stone or wood) by whittling away at it
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die, die out
cut or shape with a die
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mound over
form a mound over
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press, press out
press from a plastic
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recast, remold, remould
cast again
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sand cast
pour molten metal into a mold of sand
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forge, hammer
create by hammering
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fret
carve a pattern into
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type of:
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create from raw material, create from raw stuff
make from scratch
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the state of (good) health (especially in the phrases `in condition' or `in shape' or `out of condition' or `out of shape')
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synonyms:
condition
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types:
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fitness, physical fitness
good physical condition; being in shape or in condition
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fettle
a state of fitness and good health
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type of:
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good health, healthiness
the state of being vigorous and free from bodily or mental disease
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fitness, physical fitness
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shape or influence; give direction to
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types:
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dispose, incline
make receptive or willing towards an action or attitude or belief
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disincline, indispose
make unwilling
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miscreate
shape or form or make badly
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carry weight
have influence to a specified degree
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decide
influence or determine
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reshape
shape anew or differently
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time
set the speed, duration, or execution of
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index
adjust through indexation
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pace
regulate or set the pace of
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predetermine
determine beforehand
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predispose
make susceptible
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foreordain, predestine, preordain
foreordain or determine beforehand
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foreordain, predestinate, predestine
foreordain by divine will or decree
Pronunciation
US
/ʃeɪp/
UK
/ʃeɪp/
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