shape en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈʃeɪ̯p/
- (General-American) audio
- [ˈʃeɪ̯p]
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-West Germanic *gaskap Old English ġesċeap Proto-Germanic *skēpą Proto-West Germanic *skāp Old English sċeap Middle English schap English shape From Middle English schap, 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.
Meanings
-
(countable, uncountable) The status or condition of something
The used bookshop wouldn’t offer much due to the poor shape of the book.
-
(countable, uncountable) Condition of personal health, especially muscular health.
We exercise to keep in good physical shape.
The vet checked to see what kind of shape the animal was in.
-
(countable, uncountable) A graphical representation of an object's form or its external boundary, outline, or external surface.
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 shape shall we use for the cookies? Stars, circles, or diamonds?
-
(countable, uncountable) Form; formation.
What if God's plans and actions do mold the shape of human events?
2006, Berdj Kenadjian, Martin Zakarian, From Darkness to Light:Your head is a funny shape, rather oblong.
A formal feature indicating a pre-Roman origin is word-final i, which is rare in the inherited nominal and adjectival lexicon. On the basis of this we may conclude that ispéli is likely the original shape of this word.
2025, Cid Swanenvleugel, The Pre-Roman Elements of the Sardinian Lexicon, page 356:
- (countable, uncountable) A geometric figure defined by its surfaces, lines, and angles, existing in 2D or 3D
- (countable, qualifier:iron manufacture, uncountable) A rolled or hammered piece, such as a bar, beam, angle iron, etc., having a cross section different from merchant bar.
- (countable, qualifier:iron manufacture, uncountable) A piece which has been roughly forged nearly to the form it will receive when completely forged or fitted.
-
(archaic, countable, uncountable) A mould for making blancmange, jelly, etc., or a piece of such food formed moulded into a particular shape.
It was brawn and shape for high tea.
1978, Jane Gardam, God on the Rocks, Abacus, published 2014, page 111: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.
1918 March, Rebecca West [pseudonym; Cicily Isabel Fairfield], chapter IV, in The Return of the Soldier, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., published 1918, →OCLC, page 92:
-
(countable, uncountable) A loaded die.
A top cheater seldom ever uses shapes or loaded dice because they do not assure you of winning.
1961, United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Government Operations. Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Gambling and Organized Crime: Hearings, page 76:
- (countable, uncountable) In the Hack programming language, a group of data fields each of which has a name and a data type.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| shapes | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
in shape · shepster · blendshape · beat into shape · shapester · cut up shapes · whip into shape · shape-shifting · shapeshifter · get into shape · shapechanger · shape note · into shape · T-shape · shapeful · in any shape or form · lineshape · shapeless · shape poem · shape operator · shape poetry · waveshape · out of shape · ring-shaped · get bent out of shape · lick into shape · shapelet · shape rotator · subshape · transhape · day shape · in no shape to · show shapes · shapely · supershape · wordshape · shapometer · in any way, shape, or form · shapewear · in no way, shape, or form · take shape · shape memory alloy · shape sorter · in bad shape · shaper · shipshape · the shape of things to come · headshape · shape-note · unshape · bandshape · bash into shape · knock into shape · eigenshape · deshape · handshape · shape-shifter · shapefile · eyeshape · body shape · transshape
Descendants
Hyponyms
cone · cube · contest shape · sphere · rhombus · polygon · quadrilateral · prism · parallelogram · ellipse · polyhedron · trapezoid · pyramid · physique · oval · square · cuboid · circle · triangle · rectangle · conic section · fractal · cylinder
Relateds
Synonyms
gestalt · Gestalt · form · shape
Translations (223)
ug شەكىل (appearance or outline) · gd cruth (appearance or outline) · hi रूप (appearance or outline) · it condizione (status or condition) · uk кшталт (appearance or outline) · cs forma (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · ota شكل (appearance or outline) · de Form (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · ru фо́рма (appearance or outline) · hu forma (appearance or outline) · lv forma (appearance or outline) · la figūra (appearance or outline) · bn আকার (appearance or outline) · tr şekil (status or condition) · es figura (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · pl kształt (appearance or outline) · mn хэлбэр (appearance or outline) · lo ຮ່າງ (appearance or outline) · my ပုံ (appearance or outline) · ur شَکْل (appearance or outline) · bn সুরত (appearance or outline) · ga cruth (appearance or outline) · tr vaziyet (status or condition) · cmn 形狀 /形状 (appearance or outline) · da tilstand (status or condition) · cy cyflwr (status or condition) · fr forme (appearance or outline) · uk ви́гляд (appearance or outline) · jv warna (appearance or outline) · fo skap (appearance or outline) · bn আকৃতি (appearance or outline) · lt forma (appearance or outline) · te ఆకృతి (appearance or outline) · bg вид (appearance or outline) · ar صُورَة (appearance or outline) · fi muoto (form; formation) · da form (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · hi आकार (appearance or outline) · fa-ira صورَت (appearance or outline) · te ఆకారం (appearance or outline) · te స్థితి (status or condition) · grc σχῆμα (appearance or outline) · pt forma (appearance or outline) · la fōrma (appearance or outline) · ja ようす (status or condition) · es forma (status or condition) · ka აღნაგობა (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · de Form (status or condition) · ru фо́рма (status or condition) · gd staid (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · jv warni (appearance or outline) · fi muoto (appearance or outline) · tk görnüş (appearance or outline) · yue 形狀 /形状 (appearance or outline) · jv wangun (appearance or outline) · cs forma (status or condition) · gd cor (status or condition) · pl kształt (status or condition) · xal кев (appearance or outline) · he מַצָּב (status or condition) · jv wujud (appearance or outline) · vi hình dáng (appearance or outline) · ka ფორმა (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · de Zustand (status or condition) · ms bentuk (appearance or outline) · fi kunto (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · pl forma (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · et vorm (appearance or outline) · fa-ira فُرْم (appearance or outline) · yue 形式 (appearance or outline) · es estado (status or condition) · txb ersna (appearance or outline) · th รูป (appearance or outline) · cy siâp (appearance or outline) · ka ფორმა (appearance or outline) · bg състоя́ние (status or condition) · eo formo (form; formation) · pt estado (status or condition) · mi āhuahanga (appearance or outline) · tr durum (status or condition) · it forma (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · gd staid (status or condition) · pl postać (appearance or outline) · uz shakl (appearance or outline) · az forma (appearance or outline) · da form (status or condition) · hy վիճակ (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · th รูปร่าง (appearance or outline) · tr görünüş (appearance or outline) · mk облик (appearance or outline) · ja 型 (appearance or outline) · bg положе́ние (status or condition) · sw umbo (appearance or outline) · enm schap (form; formation) · jv rupa (appearance or outline) · kmr şikil (appearance or outline) · uz forma (appearance or outline) · gd cor (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · lo ຮູບ (appearance or outline) · hy ձեւ (appearance or outline) · ka მოყვანილობა (appearance or outline) · pt condição (status or condition) · enm schap (appearance or outline) · fa-ira شِکْل (appearance or outline) · ur آکار (appearance or outline) · cmn 樣子 /样子 (status or condition) · ar أَشْكَال (appearance or outline) · ka მდგომარეობა (status or condition) · ky кеп (appearance or outline) · bo དབྱིབས (appearance or outline) · cmn 形式 (appearance or outline) · nl status (status or condition) · sh ȍblīk (appearance or outline) · ka აგებულება (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · fa-ira شَکْل (appearance or outline) · la fōrma (status or condition) · fi kunto (status or condition) · sv tillstånd (status or condition) · is form (appearance or outline) · la fōrma (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · es forma (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · hi शक्ल (appearance or outline) · bn রূপ (appearance or outline) · id bentuk (appearance or outline) · nl conditie (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · de Form (appearance or outline) · gd cumadh (appearance or outline) · nl vorm (appearance or outline) · it stato (status or condition) · tr şekil (appearance or outline) · prs شَکْل (appearance or outline) · sh о̏блӣк (appearance or outline) · ur ڈول (appearance or outline) · jv dhapur (appearance or outline) · nb form (appearance or outline) · luy liumbo (appearance or outline) · he צוּרָה (appearance or outline) · lo ຊົງ (appearance or outline) · ko 모양 (appearance or outline) · jv kaanan (status or condition) · ja 形式 (appearance or outline) · sl oblika (appearance or outline) · ru положе́ние (status or condition) · ja 形 (appearance or outline) · nl fysiek (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · mn ᠬᠡᠯᠪᠡᠷᠢ (appearance or outline) · lo ຮູບຮ່າງ (appearance or outline) · ka ფორმა (status or condition) · fr forme (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · fkv haamu (appearance or outline) · ro formă (status or condition) · ar شَكْل (appearance or outline) · sq formë (appearance or outline) · bg фо́рма (form; formation) · nl vorm (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · cs stav (status or condition) · izh kaanu (appearance or outline) · fr forme (status or condition) · hy վիճակ (status or condition) · nl staat (status or condition) · bg фо́рма (appearance or outline) · kk пішім (appearance or outline) · ro stare (status or condition) · km ទម្រង់ (appearance or outline) · it forma (appearance or outline) · cy ffurf (form; formation) · es talle (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · ti ቅርጺ (appearance or outline) · ja 様子 (status or condition) · da form (appearance or outline) · sk tvar (appearance or outline) · fi aihio (iron manufacture: piece which has been roughly forged nearly to its final form) · de Gestalt (appearance or outline) · sa रूप (appearance or outline) · tr form (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · sv form (status or condition) · ca forma (appearance or outline) · ro formă (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · tl hugis (appearance or outline) · fi kuvio (appearance or outline) · ur رُوپ (appearance or outline) · sv form (appearance or outline) · la figūra (status or condition) · et kuju (appearance or outline) · el μορφή (appearance or outline) · ka მოხაზულობა (appearance or outline) · pl forma (appearance or outline) · uk фо́рма (appearance or outline) · hi डोल (appearance or outline) · kk форма (appearance or outline) · gl forma (appearance or outline) · ro formă (appearance or outline) · ko 형 (appearance or outline) · bg фо́рма (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · pl kondycja (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · vi hình thức (appearance or outline) · be фо́рма (appearance or outline) · vi hình (appearance or outline) · kk нысан (appearance or outline) · cs tvar (appearance or outline) · am ቅርጽ (appearance or outline) · es forma (appearance or outline) · pt estado (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · ru состоя́ние (status or condition) · kk пішін (appearance or outline) · gd cumadh (form; formation) · it sagoma (appearance or outline) · ru фо́рма (condition of personal health, especially muscular health) · fi aihio (iron manufacture: rolled or hammered piece having a cross section different from merchant bar) · nl toestand (status or condition) · ps شکل (appearance or outline) · ky форма (appearance or outline) · ti ቅርፂ (appearance or outline) · az şəkil (appearance or outline) · grc μορφή (appearance or outline) · ko 형식 (appearance or outline) · km គ្រោង (appearance or outline) · tg шакл (appearance or outline) · tk forma (appearance or outline) · tg сурат (appearance or outline) · hu alak (appearance or outline) · yi פֿאָרעם (appearance or outline) · tk şekil (appearance or outline)