Shape
/ʃeɪp/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounThe form or outline of something.
verbTo give something a particular form or influence its development.
Extra definitions
noun; verbThe outer form of something.
noun; verbThe condition of something.
noun; verbTo give a particular form.
Sentence Examples
The cloud changed shape.
He is in excellent shape.
Experience shaped her career.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
None
Antonyms:
None
Word Origin & History
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.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
“No design right can exist in features of appearance of a product which are solely dictated by the product's technical function (see Dyson Ltd v Vax Ltd [2010] EWHC 1923 (Pat) which held the shape of the Dyson vacuum cleaner to be unregisterable as it was purely functional) [...]”
— 2012, Robert Bradgate, Fidelma White, Margaret Llewelyn, Commercial Law, page 429:
“What if God's plans and actions do mold the shape of human events?”
— 2006, Berdj Kenadjian, Martin Zakarian, From Darkness to Light:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The cloud changed ____.