shape

Definitions

1. 1.Grace shaped her limbs, and beauty decked her face. Prior.
2. 2.To adapt to a purpose; to regulate; to adjust; to direct; as, to shape the course of a vessel. To the stream, when neither friends, nor force, Nor spead nor art avail, he shapes his course. Denham. Charmed by their eyes, their manners I acqire, And shape my foolishness to their desire. Prior.
3. 3.To image; to conceive; to body forth. Oft my jealousy Shapes faults that are not. Shak.
4. 4.To design; to prepare; to plan; to arrange. When shapen was all this conspiracy, From point to point. Chaucer. Shaping machine. (Mach.) Same as Shaper. -- To shape one's self, to prepare; to make ready. [Obs.] I will early shape me therefor. Chaucer.
5. 5.To suit; to be adjusted or conformable. [R.] Shak.
6. 6.Character or construction of a thing as determining its external appearance; outward aspect; make; figure; form; guise; as, the shape of a tree; the shape of the head; an elegant shape. He beat me grievously, in the shape of a woman. Shak.
7. 7.That which has form or figure; a figure; an appearance; a being. Before the gates three sat, On either side, a formidable shape. Milton.
8. 8.A model; a pattern; a mold.
9. 9.Form of embodiment, as in words; form, as of thought or conception; concrete embodiment or example, as of some quality. Milton.
10. 10.Dress for disguise; guise. [Obs.] Look better on this virgin, and consider This Persian shape laid by, and she appearing In a Greekish dress. Messinger.
11. 11.(Iron Manuf.) (a) A rolled or hammered piece, as a bar, beam, angle iron, etc., having a cross section different from merchant bar. (b) A piece which has been roughly forged nearly to the form it will receive when completely forged or fitted. To take shape, to assume a definite form.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

• What does "shape" mean?
• What is another word for "shape"?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is shape.

• What is grace shaped her limbs, and beauty decked her face. Prior called?
• What is to image; to conceive; to body forth. Oft my jealousy Shapes faults that are not. Shak called?
• What is to suit; to be adjusted or conformable. [R.] Shak called?
• What is that which has form or figure; a figure; an appearance; a being. Before the gates three sat, On either side, a formidable shape. Milton called?
• What is form of embodiment, as in words; form, as of thought or conception; concrete embodiment or example, as of some quality. Milton called?
• What is dress for disguise; guise. [Obs.] Look better on this virgin, and consider This Persian shape laid by, and she appearing In a Greekish dress. Messinger called?