shape1 nounshape2 verb
shapeshape1 /ʃeɪp/ ●●● S2 W2 noun 
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- If a mole changes color or shape, see a doctor.
- The fruits are similar in shape and size to plums.
- The pool was custom built, it is an unusual shape.
- We could just see a couple of shapes in the distance.
- What shape is the swimming pool?
- You can get pasta in lots of different shapes.
- His heart hammered in terror as he glimpsed those shaggy, hulking shapes of shadowy grey speeding across the meadows.
- It was Mr Oliver Wendell Holmes who said that a mind stretched to a new idea never returns to its original shape.
- Of course, getting into shape is only as good as staying in shape.
- Such retro shapes demand parallel patterns.
- The candlelight on the peeling walls made scary shapes that I'd never noticed before.
- The future size and shape of these forces is under debate.
- When a neurotransmitter attaches itself outside, the part on the inside changes its shape.
THESAURUStypes of shapes
a shape with four straight sides that are equal in length and four angles of 90 degrees
a round shape that is like an O
half a circle
a shape with three straight sides and three angles
a shape with four straight sides and four angles of 90 degrees
a shape like a circle, but that is longer than it is wide
an object in the shape of a tube
a solid object with six equal square sides
a shape with a square base and four triangular sides that meet in a point at the top
a shape like a ball
describing types of shapes shaped like a square: · a square box
shaped like a circle: · a circular table
shaped like a semicircle: · a semicircular arch above the door
shaped like a triangle: · sails divided into triangular sections
shaped like a rectangle: · a simple rectangular building
shaped like an oval: · an oval swimming pool
shaped like a cylinder: · The statue is on top of a tall cylindrical column.
shaped like a ball: · The planet Saturn is not completely spherical.
Longman Language Activatorthe shape of something or someone the shape that something is, for example a square, a circle etc: · You can get pasta in lots of different shapes.· What shape is the swimming pool?· The fruits are similar in shape and size to plums.· The desks form a U-shape, so that the teacher can interact easily with the students.· The pool was custom built, it is an unusual shape.· If a mole changes color or shape, see a doctor.
the shape of something - use this especially to talk about art or when the shape is not very clear: · Sleeping forms lay in groups and rows on the earth floor.· The painting consists of a series of interlocking forms.
the shape of a person: · There were figures painted on the walls of the cave.· Dark figures emerged from the building, and disappeared into the night. figure of: · I saw the figure of a woman below the bridge.
the dark shape of something or someone seen against a bright background: · The trees were silhouettes in the morning fog.silhouette of: · I saw the silhouette of someone waiting under the streetlight.
the shape of someone's face when seen from the side: · an artist's sketch of McMillan's profile· He sat by the window, his handsome profile outlined against the sky.in profile: · They showed her a photo of a young brunette, taken in profile.
a line around the edge of something that shows its shape: outline of: · The outline of a footprint was visible in the snow.· On the envelopes had been stamped the outlines of Santa Claus, holly, and a reindeer.
the outer shape of something, that has a lot of curves, especially an area of land or a person's body: · The seat is adjustable to fit the contours of your back.· A topographical map shows the contours of the earth's surface.
the outer shape of something long or tall, especially something that looks very graceful or attractive: · The dress's flowing lines are attractive on most women.lines of: · He noticed the long, slim lines of her legs beneath the colorful cotton skirt.
having a particular shape use this to say what shape something is: · The windows were round, like the windows on a ship.· "What shape is the table?" "It's long and rectangular."be round/square etc in shape: · There was another building, octagonal in shape, close by.
use this to say that something has the same shape as something else: star-shaped/heart-shaped/L-shaped etc: · He gave me a necklace with a heart-shaped locket.· Gus lived in an apartment in a U-shaped courtyard.shaped like: · On the table were salt and pepper shakers shaped like teddy bears.
use this to say that something has the same shape as something else: · a beautiful blue bowl in the shape of a flower· There was a big chocolate cake in the shape of a heart on the main table.
having a strange or wrong shape something that is deformed , especially part of a living thing, has the wrong shape, usually because it has grown or developed wrongly: · She had survived polio, but her right leg was weak and deformed.· The desert plants were strange deformed bushes with bizarrely twisted branches.
something that is distorted has been twisted out of its correct or original shape: · As a result of the crash, the remains of the vehicles were distorted out of all recognition.· After treatment, her distorted hip had straightened, so that her legs were the same length.
having the wrong shape, usually because of growing that way over a long period of time: · The old woman's fingers were misshapen and useless.· Misshapen carrots and potatoes were fed to the pigs.
something that is lopsided does not have the same shape on each side, for example because one side is higher than the other: · She gave me a lopsided smile.· a note written in a child's lopsided handwriting· His whole face was lopsided, one cheek badly scarred.
especially British if something such as a hat, coat, or skirt loses its shape , it becomes the wrong shape because it has been worn a lot: · His battered old hat had completely lost its shape.· She was wearing an old jumper that had lost its shape.
having no clear or exact shape something, especially a piece of clothing, that is shapeless has no clear or definite shape, and often looks unattractive: · He was wearing a shapeless grey coat which really did not fit him.· People trudged on, carrying shapeless bundles full of clothes or bedding.
formal having no definite shape that can be described or recognized because everything you can see is unclear or is mixed together: · The molten rock hardens into amorphous forms.· In her later works, large, amorphous shapes seem to float on the canvas.
having a regular shape evenly shaped with parts or sides of equal size: · Draw a regular hexagon with 90 mm sides.· She was attractive rather than beautiful, with regular features and dark hair.
if something is symmetrical , its two halves, on either side of a central line, are exactly alike: · The leaves of most trees are symmetrical in shape.· Palladio built the Villa Rotunda following a symmetrical plan.
having a shape that is not regular unevenly shaped with parts or sides of unequal size: · Lake Powell's irregular coastline has many unspoiled beaches and secluded inlets.· I recognized the doctor's messy, irregular handwriting.
if something is asymmetrical , one half of it is not the same as the other - used in formal and technical contexts: · The design of the house is consciously asymmetrical with a large tower at one end.
furniture, cars, or machines that are in bad condition also in a bad state especially British · When I bought the chairs they were in very bad condition.· The car's in pretty bad shape, but I'll give you $300 for it.be in terrible/dreadful etc condition/shape · It's a nice piece of furniture, but in such terrible condition you won't get much money for it.
furniture and other structures that are rickety are in such bad condition that they look as if they would break if you tried to use them: · The staircase was old and rickety.· They sat around the card table on rickety old chairs.· a rickety bamboo fence
something that is battered is old and in bad condition because it has been used a lot and treated roughly: · There was nothing in his office except for a few battered chairs.· Alex and Lisa used to drive around town in a battered old Fiat Uno.
especially spoken if something is falling apart , it is gradually breaking into pieces, because it is old or badly made: · I need some new shoes. These are falling apart.· San Diego's public buildings are falling apart, but the city refuses to do anything about it.
if something is on its last legs , it has been used so much and is in such bad condition that you will soon not be able to use it any more: · The old car was on its last legs, and Renee knew she wouldn't be able to afford a new one.
if something has seen better days it is not in the good condition it once was in, because it is old or has been used a lot: · The carpets, curtains, and cushions had all seen better days but still looked quite pretty.· She lived in a rambling Victorian house that had certainly seen better days.
British informal /beat-up American informal use this about a vehicle or machine that is so old that it does not work properly: · Of course the carpet's a mess - all we've got is a clapped-out old vacuum cleaner.· She drives an old beat-up Ford.
in a good condition something that is in good condition is not broken and has no marks or other things wrong with it: · The car hadn't been used much, and was in very good condition.· The charity is accepting toys and clothing in good condition.· The 3,000-year-old tools are still in such good condition it looks almost as if they were made yesterday.
something that is in good shape is in good condition - use this especially when you do not really expect it to be or when it was not always in such good condition: · Doctor Morrissey told her that her leg was healing well, and was now in very good shape.· To avoid accidents, it's important to check that all your tools are in good shape before starting.
British informal use this especially about something such as a car or a piece of equipment that is old or used, but is still in good condition and working well: · She keeps her car in really good nick.· My stereo's quite old but it's still in pretty good nick.
something that is in perfect or mint condition looks as good or works as well as when it was new, especially because it has not been used or touched very much: · The book is over 100 years old, but it's still in perfect condition.· I can't believe it. She's selling me her car for only £800 and it's still in mint condition.
especially spoken something that is as good as new is almost as good as when it was new - use this about things that have recently been cleaned or repaired: · I've just had the bike serviced, and it looks as good as new.
to exercise your body to walk, do sports etc in order to stay healthy and become stronger: · You should exercise every day and get plenty of fresh air.· Even people who start exercising quite late in life notice considerable benefits.· A lot of managers spend long hours in their cars and exercise very little.
also take exercise British to exercise, especially regularly: · You should do at least fifteen minutes' exercise each day.· Doctors are always telling us that we should do more exercise.· Most of the people here never take any exercise at all.
to do exercise, especially as part of your daily work or daily life: · A lot of children these days don't get enough exercise.· Try to increase the amount of exercise you get, perhaps by walking to work.
to exercise regularly, using all the important muscles in your body, especially in a gym or exercise class: · Professional footballers spend at least an hour every day working out in the gym.· I go jogging every morning and work out with weights twice a week.
British to exercise regularly in order to stay healthy and young: · Jim gave up drinking and took up tennis in an attempt to keep fit.· Many older people find that keeping fit can be fun as well as good for their health.
also get fit British to do regular exercise because you are not healthy or strong enough: · It's not too late to get into shape before the summer holidays.· If you want to get fit quickly, jogging is one of the best ways.
also limber up especially British to do gentle physical exercises just before playing a sport, dancing etc, so that you do not injure your muscles: · It's important to warm up properly before you do any sport.· The runners are now limbering up as they get ready for the race.
to prepare for a sporting event, especially by exercising: · We train twice a week at the local gym.· I'm not as fit as I should be. I don't train enough.
not fit British not fit and not able to do hard physical activities easily, especially because you do not take enough exercise: · I realised how unfit I was when I tried to run up the stairs.· The survey shows that the typical 16-year-old is unfit, lazy, and probably plays no sports at all.
to be unfit at the present time, especially when you have been fit in the past: · He knew that he was out of condition and it would be risky to attempt the climb.· I've been really out of shape since I stopped running every day.
physically strong and healthy British /physically fit American healthy and strong, especially because you play sport or do exercise regularly: · Sandy's very fit - he runs five miles every day.· Just because you're in your sixties doesn't mean you can't be physically fit.keep fit/stay fit (=remain fit): · Cycling is a good way to keep fit.· We've got a match next month, so we've got to keep ourselves reasonably fit.· I stay fit by swimming for an hour each morning.
if you are in shape , you are not fat and you can play sport or do exercise without getting tired: · I'll start playing basketball with you as soon as I'm in shape.be in good shape: · She's in pretty good shape but I don't know if she'll be able to run a marathon.stay in shape/keep in shape (=to exercise regularly): · Walking to and from work helps me to stay in shape.· He's good at badminton but plays handball to keep in shape.
to be generally fit and healthy, especially because you take exercise regularly: · We were both good runners and in good condition but we still found the course difficult.keep yourself in good condition: · Most of the players had kept themselves in good condition over the summer months.
fit, strong, and usually also good at sports: · He can play any sport, he's naturally athletic.· If you want me to play, I will, but I'm not very athletic.
to make something better to make something better: · I wanted to improve my French, so I got a job in Paris.· The funds will go towards improving road and rail services.· By managing natural resources more effectively, our quality of human life could be improved greatly.
to improve a situation or improve someone's life: · Instead of making the traffic situation better, the new road has just made things worse.· You won't make things any better by worrying about them.· Have computers really made life better for everyone?
to make changes to something or add things to it in order to make it better, more useful, or more effective: · After we've made a few improvements, the software should be fine.make improvements to: · Several improvements have been made to the original designs.· They made a lot of improvements to the house after they moved in.
British /whip something into shape especially American informal to make changes to something in order to make it good enough: · We've only got one week left to knock the play into shape.· The new Chief Executive is whipping the company into shape and making it more competitive.
to improve something such as machinery, a building, or a system by making it more modern, effective, and successful: · The city has recently spent $3 million on upgrading its sports stadium.· It was decided that the entire computer system should be upgraded.· Since July, the airport has upgraded security measures, at a cost of $560,000.
to improve a system or process by making it more simple and therefore faster and more effective: · The new system is an attempt to streamline the decision-making process.· Apple is going to streamline its operations and concentrate development efforts on the Internet and multimedia.
to improve standards of behaviour in a place or organization, especially by removing dishonest or criminal people: clean up something: · It's time someone cleaned up this city; we have one of the highest crime rates in the country.· Most clubs have made a big effort to clean up football's image.clean something up: · The management of some our prisons has sometimes been corrupt, and it is our job to clean it up.
also brush up something British especially spoken to practise doing something that you have not done for a long time in order to try to improve it: · I'd like to brush up on my Italian before our trip.· Public libraries frequently have computers that people can use to brush up their IT skills.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
The dining room was square in shape. The plants grow in every shape and size. I’ve got to get into shape before summer. She’s bought an exercise bike to keep in shape. This new technique is the shape of things to come (=an example of the way things will develop in the future). Help came in the shape of a $10,000 loan from his parents.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES It’s in pretty good condition for an old car. Boris had always kept his body in good shape. The Chancellor announced that the economy is in good shape. These fish are highly variable in color and pattern.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
The dining room was square in shape. The plants grow in every shape and size. I’ve got to get into shape before summer. She’s bought an exercise bike to keep in shape. This new technique is the shape of things to come (=an example of the way things will develop in the future). Help came in the shape of a $10,000 loan from his parents.· differences in body size and shape
· The result of this battle influenced the whole course of the war.
· Your boss is the one who writes your evaluations, recommends you for promotions and shapes your future.
It’s in pretty good condition for an old car. Boris had always kept his body in good shape. The Chancellor announced that the economy is in good shape. (=influence events that are recorded)· He is one of the politicians who shaped 20th century history.
(=develop it or have an influence on it)· These terrorist acts will not be allowed to shape our foreign policy.
These fish are highly variable in color and pattern.· Others trying to do that, like Lucent, Alcatel and Nortel, are in at least as bad shape as Marconi.· Sandy was in such bad shape.· Everything up there's a complete write-off, and most of the first floor's in pretty bad shape.· Uptown was still in bad shape.· The galleys were in bad shape.· You see children living in rooms that are in really bad shape.· I knew that several of the others were in as bad shape as myself - probably worse.· Representative government on Capitol Hill is in the worst shape I have seen it...
· He made out the black shape of another tunnel mouth.· On the opposite shore I saw two large gray black shapes: moose!· The goodwill died with the fire and black shapes loomed up out of the dark.· From the darkness in front of them Blake could see a black shape bounding towards them.· When he looked again he saw a black shape on the ground, another black shape crouching over it.· Children spotting his tall black shape in the street ran away from him, not towards.· Suddenly I saw a big black shape in the darkness.
· The dark shape was still visible against a background of dimly lit beams.· It was a dark shape, fluttering.· Suddenly a dark shape appeared in front of me.· The thirty-two dark shapes of our helicopters sat on the lighter-colored ground.· Then, through a gap in the shower curtain, he saw a dark shape.· Like a giant, bald-faced mole emerging from winter, I squint at the dark shapes of the nearby mountains.· The dark shape was coming closer.· I stared at elusive, dark shapes below and watched for tracers.
· Note the different shapes, and use of a half profile for assured symmetry.· Olympic warriors come in so many different shapes and sizes.· Grayling has now tried a number of different shapes of dining table, including circular and triangular in varying sizes.· Provolone cheeses are made in different sizes and shapes and each bears a distinguishing name.· Sticking plasters, perhaps made from paper or sticky tape, again in different shapes and sizes, offer choice and comparison.· In his open palm were two spent bullets, subtly different in shape from anything I was familiar with.· We know why. Different bill shapes suit different eating habits, but never mind that for the moment.· It was a complex job: there were three colors of brick and over fifty different shapes.
· But it is also apparent that that totality is not completely known, nor is its future shape even presumed.· One can imagine the future shape of companies by stretching them until they are pure network.· This is the document which spells out proposals for the future shape of Gloucestershire.· The future size and shape of these forces is under debate.
· All of the houses are in good shape, and there should be no trouble.· You look in good shape to me, and anyway, I prefer more mature riders.· But he could pinpoint the fact that because he was in good shape, he survived.· The rounded pintail winger is probably the best shape for all conditions.· But three hikers missing on Mount Shasta since Dec. 26 were found safe and in good shape.· We found he was in good shape, but had no food in his intestines.· Make sure your car is in good shape before embarking on this trip.
· Waiting for me down on the sands - a great hulking shape, crouching there, darker than darkness.· And Hong Kong is in great shape.· You travel all over the place, you meet a ton of people, you stay in great shape.· He came back in great shape his senior year.· I was in such great shape.· He desperately wants to fight again and he's in great shape.· The Liberal Democrats are in great shape locally.· The O'Briens looked in even greater shape.
· One would like to know what these various shapes mean.· Various other breads, in various other shapes, harbor lobster salad, roasted peppers and salmon.· They come in various shapes: erect, for instance, or conical, or rounded or with horizontal, spreading branches.· The leaves are of various shapes and arranged mostly in two rows on the rhizome; young leaves are rolled.· Example A box of wood of various shapes and sizes was brought by a father.· The starch product comes in various shapes, colors and sizes.· They are supplied as pellets, of various shapes and sizes, or powders.· The objects come in various shapes and usually, though not always, seem to be associated with nearby star.
NOUN· Although they come from the same family as the more familiar Corydoras, they differ in both body shape and breeding habit.· Its body shape means it is one of the most stable road vehicles in crosswinds.· The body shape, too, suggests that rhynchosaurs were herbivorous.· Incidentally, the body shape also means the hand is in the optimum position for absorbing the recoil impact.· They frequently evolve drastically-altered body shape and ant-like behaviours, with the aim of fooling the ants.· We encourage women to accept their body shape.· Otherwise, while growth will accelerate, body shape may be adversely affected.· There's a double cutaway arrangement and it's a very different body shape from any jazz guitar that I've seen.
VERB· It also prompts changes in the cytoskeleton so that the cell changes shape during mitosis.· To the 4-month-old child, different perspectives on objects appear to change the shape and size of the objects.· Cells can also change shape, exert forces, and move from one place in the embryo to another.· The ground beneath my feet swirled and changed shape as easily as the air through which I moved.· Signals change the shape of an enzyme, thus affecting its reaction with a protein.
· At the same time, take the trimmings, colour them brown, roll them out and cut out a door shape.· Gently rework dough scraps and cut out more shapes.· Using round fluted cutter, cut out shapes. 6 Cook for 10 to 12 mins in boiling salted water.· She wore her mixed gray Afro closely cut to the shape of her round head.· But with larger areas it is best to cut out a regular shape and put in new timber.· The backing can be cut to give the shape you want and can also be used around a curved surface.· Even the bread was cut into mathematical shapes.
· For the first time the significance of lone pairs of electrons, in determining the overall shape of molecules was recognised.· In recent years a powerful new radar technique for determining the shapes of NEAs has become available.· The statutes of Parliament legally determine the shape of local government and the scope of its action.· It is almost true to say that we know how the genetic program determines the shape of a ribosome.
· It still lay there on the keys, the fingers extended to form the shape.· The study examined factors that form attitudes and shape behavior on the subject of family planning.· She actively watches the lines made by her arms and legs as they form varying shapes.· Transfer butter to a sheet of wax paper, spreading butter out to form a rough log shape.· Corners are folded into the centre to form a diamond shape.· The water forms the shape of the five Olympic rings in the air.· Gores To form the hemispherical shape of the traditional cupped parachute, the surface is divided into what are known as gores.· Both the 32-cent and 55-cent versions feature a pair of facing swans, their necks forming the shape of a heart.
· And keeping in shape with her is a lot better than pumping iron.· Exercise and preventive medical care can keep you in shape.· Hold Fire to keep the shape attached; release it to send it flying.· Does it take the shape of the bag or keep the shape of the cup? 5.· The festival itself is moving into its second decade and keeps basically the same shape as in other years.· You know how coaches love to lie just to keep their tongues in shape.· All animals more than a few thousand cells big need to have some sort of scaffolding to keep their bodies in shape.· What is the best material, that keeps its shape, lasts in all weathers and takes lettering and varnish?
· He likes to stay in shape, does Dennis.· I had to encourage him to keep up some golf and a regular exercise program in order to stay in shape.· But costs will have to be squeezed in 1993 to ensure we stay in good shape.· Of course, getting into shape is only as good as staying in shape.· You travel all over the place, you meet a ton of people, you stay in great shape.· The best thing I can do is stay in as good shape as possible.· Even before the crash I took a great deal of exercise - you have to work at staying in shape.· Q: What do you do to stay in shape?
· Nor there are signs that another major campaign is beginning to take shape.· Or take the shapes and figures of whales outlined by the stars on a bright night at sea.· But, however painfully, the Dole campaign is taking shape.· He watched the puddle take shape on the floor, his arms crossed at the back of his head.· In kungfu the hands take their shape from the particular animals whose fighting techniques the practitioner is imitating.· A new plan was taking shape.· But it takes shape as it is woven.· The base soon sparkled from end to end, and the facilities slowly took shape inside.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► not in any shape or form► in shape/out of shapePHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► throw shapes
- A new plan was taking shape.
- An obvious case is that of Eärendil, the first character to take shape in Tolkien's mythology.
- Later as weapons and uniforms became available and with the help of the older men, the unit began to take shape.
- Quickly the character of Witness began to take shape.
- Such was the excitement in the field as the new theory of plate tectonics was taking shape.
- The creator of Yoknapatawpha County took shape on a bench, seated with his legs crossed, holding a pipe.
- The world watched as the fleet took shape.
- Then passersby saw thousands of feet of wire being strung, and soon a huge, strange-looking antenna system began taking shape.
- It is noteworthy that the application sought relief in the shape of a declaration, injunctions and damages.
- It was a bun baked in the shape of a bagel.
- Management decidedly can not rely on having its spokesmen on the spot in the shape of co-operative station staff.
- Part of the bank here was in the shape of a sea wall, with a miniature promenade running along the top.
- The stable had lost its star, but there was another in the wings in the shape of Chaplins Club.
- Volunteers, sometimes wearing blue lapel pins in the shape of crutches, raised money in numerous and often ingenious ways.
- Well, apart from our man with his arms cut off and placed in the shape of a swastika.
- Where languages grow most unlike one another as they drift apart is in the shapes of their words.
- But if I was in better shape, I'd be sitting up there.
- He could still be in good shape.
- He said Texpool is in good shape now.
- If only he could tell them he was all right, in good shape, considering ...
- This saw the band in good shape, retaining their traditions of twisted passions and bleak emotional narratives.
- This year, however, Dole appears in good shape in both locations.
- Uptown was still in bad shape.
- We found he was in good shape, but had no food in his intestines.
- But it is for you already, any fool can see you're in no shape to continue.
- His hand stung and his head hurt and he felt in no shape to begin the delicate task of restarting their relationship.
- A lot of similar stories, people just wanting to get back into shape, get their games together.
- And backs off quick, before the long-suffering pimp shows up, and knocks the girl into shape with his jewelled fists.
- His replacement, former sales manager Nils Sontag, never had enough time to lick the company into shape.
- Lionesses lick their cubs into shape and life.
- Nevertheless an heroic effort is being made to lick Expo into shape before Easter Monday.
- The first two hours knock us into shape, however, as we battle with the boulder-strewn approach to Condoriri.
- With the BaByliss BodyToner Plus you can treat yourself to wonderful massages and get back into shape at the same time.
- Hey, don't get all bent out of shape!
- Meg plays Alice, a cheerful hippy in the minutes before everything goes pear-shaped.
- I am not responsible for his actions in any way, shape, or form.
WORD FAMILYadjectiveshapelessshapelymisshapennounshapeverbshapeadverbshapelessly
1round/square etc [countable, uncountable] the form that something has, for example round, square, triangular etc: What shape is the table? You can recognize a tree by the shape of its leaves.round/square etc in shape The dining room was square in shape. His battered old hat had completely lost its shape.in the shape of something a silver pin in the shape of a large bird The plants grow in every shape and size. The children cut out shapes (=squares, triangles etc) from the piece of cardboard.out of shape The wheel had been bent out of shape.2health/condition a)in good/bad/poor etc shape in good, bad etc condition, or in good, bad etc health: For an old car, it’s in pretty good shape. The economy is in worse shape now than it was last year. Kaplan seemed to be in better shape than either of us. b)in shape/out of shape in a good or bad state of health or physical fitness: I was feeling totally out of shape. I’ve got to get into shape before summer.keep/stay in shape She’s bought an exercise bike to keep in shape. c)be in no shape to do something to be sick, tired, drunk etc, and not able to do something well: Mel was in no shape to drive home after the party.3knock/lick/get somebody/something into shape to make someone or something better so that they reach the necessary standard: Some of them lack experience, but we’ll soon knock them into shape.4character of something [singular] the way something looks, works, or is organizedshape of Computers have completely changed the shape of our industry. This new technique is the shape of things to come (=an example of the way things will develop in the future).5take shape to develop into a clear and definite form: An idea was beginning to take shape in his mind.6in the shape of something used to explain what something consists of: Help came in the shape of a $10,000 loan from his parents.7not in any shape or form (also not in any way, shape, or form) used to say that you will not accept something for any reason: We will not tolerate racism in any shape or form.8thing not seen clearly [countable] a thing or person that you cannot see clearly enough to recognize: A dark shape moved behind them.THESAURUStypes of shapessquare a shape with four straight sides that are equal in length and four angles of 90 degreescircle a round shape that is like an Osemicircle half a circletriangle a shape with three straight sides and three anglesrectangle a shape with four straight sides and four angles of 90 degreesoval a shape like a circle, but that is longer than it is widecylinder an object in the shape of a tubecube a solid object with six equal square sidespyramid a shape with a square base and four triangular sides that meet in a point at the topsphere a shape like a balldescribing types of shapessquare shaped like a square: · a square boxcircular/round shaped like a circle: · a circular tablesemicircular shaped like a semicircle: · a semicircular arch above the doortriangular shaped like a triangle: · sails divided into triangular sectionsrectangular shaped like a rectangle: · a simple rectangular buildingoval shaped like an oval: · an oval swimming poolcylindrical shaped like a cylinder: · The statue is on top of a tall cylindrical column.spherical shaped like a ball: · The planet Saturn is not completely spherical.shape1 nounshape2 verb
shapeshape2 ●●○ verb [transitive] WORD ORIGINshape2
Origin:
Old English scieppanVERB TABLE
shape
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | shape |
| he, she, it | shapes | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | shaped |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have shaped |
| he, she, it | has shaped | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had shaped |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will shape |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have shaped |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am shaping |
| he, she, it | is shaping | |
| you, we, they | are shaping | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was shaping |
| you, we, they | were shaping | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been shaping |
| he, she, it | has been shaping | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been shaping |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be shaping |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been shaping |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Gel is great for holding and shaping shorter hairstyles.
- She had soaked the leather to bend and shape it into the form of a small shoe.
- Teenagers' tastes and preferences are shaped by what they see in the media.
- Bland little symbols were only mirrors of colour and shape that she had to push around into the order her teachers wanted.
- Buffalo needed expert advice and specific strategies to shape the district's future, he said.
- But the company sees state regulatory rules shaping up unfavorably for it, as a would-be competitor for residential customers.
- In Donoghue v Stevenson in 1932 the House of Lords shaped a general theory of manufacturer's liability in tort for products.
- Monetary union is shaping as the new political battleground.
- One should also explore the present capacities of the client against the background of the life experience which shaped him/her.
- Tealight candleholders by Design Ideas, for instance, are daisy shaped but colored acid blue, lime green and raspberry.
- Those who are privileged achieve the competence with which to shape the future.
Longman Language Activatorthe shape of something or someone
the shape that something is, for example a square, a circle etc: · You can get pasta in lots of different shapes.· What shape is the swimming pool?· The fruits are similar in shape and size to plums.· The desks form a U-shape, so that the teacher can interact easily with the students.· The pool was custom built, it is an unusual shape.· If a mole changes color or shape, see a doctor.
the shape of something - use this especially to talk about art or when the shape is not very clear: · Sleeping forms lay in groups and rows on the earth floor.· The painting consists of a series of interlocking forms.
the shape of a person: · There were figures painted on the walls of the cave.· Dark figures emerged from the building, and disappeared into the night. figure of: · I saw the figure of a woman below the bridge.
the dark shape of something or someone seen against a bright background: · The trees were silhouettes in the morning fog.silhouette of: · I saw the silhouette of someone waiting under the streetlight.
the shape of someone's face when seen from the side: · an artist's sketch of McMillan's profile· He sat by the window, his handsome profile outlined against the sky.in profile: · They showed her a photo of a young brunette, taken in profile.
a line around the edge of something that shows its shape: outline of: · The outline of a footprint was visible in the snow.· On the envelopes had been stamped the outlines of Santa Claus, holly, and a reindeer.
the outer shape of something, that has a lot of curves, especially an area of land or a person's body: · The seat is adjustable to fit the contours of your back.· A topographical map shows the contours of the earth's surface.
the outer shape of something long or tall, especially something that looks very graceful or attractive: · The dress's flowing lines are attractive on most women.lines of: · He noticed the long, slim lines of her legs beneath the colorful cotton skirt.
having a particular shape use this to say what shape something is: · The windows were round, like the windows on a ship.· "What shape is the table?" "It's long and rectangular."be round/square etc in shape: · There was another building, octagonal in shape, close by.
use this to say that something has the same shape as something else: star-shaped/heart-shaped/L-shaped etc: · He gave me a necklace with a heart-shaped locket.· Gus lived in an apartment in a U-shaped courtyard.shaped like: · On the table were salt and pepper shakers shaped like teddy bears.
use this to say that something has the same shape as something else: · a beautiful blue bowl in the shape of a flower· There was a big chocolate cake in the shape of a heart on the main table.
having a strange or wrong shape something that is deformed , especially part of a living thing, has the wrong shape, usually because it has grown or developed wrongly: · She had survived polio, but her right leg was weak and deformed.· The desert plants were strange deformed bushes with bizarrely twisted branches.
something that is distorted has been twisted out of its correct or original shape: · As a result of the crash, the remains of the vehicles were distorted out of all recognition.· After treatment, her distorted hip had straightened, so that her legs were the same length.
having the wrong shape, usually because of growing that way over a long period of time: · The old woman's fingers were misshapen and useless.· Misshapen carrots and potatoes were fed to the pigs.
something that is lopsided does not have the same shape on each side, for example because one side is higher than the other: · She gave me a lopsided smile.· a note written in a child's lopsided handwriting· His whole face was lopsided, one cheek badly scarred.
especially British if something such as a hat, coat, or skirt loses its shape , it becomes the wrong shape because it has been worn a lot: · His battered old hat had completely lost its shape.· She was wearing an old jumper that had lost its shape.
having no clear or exact shape something, especially a piece of clothing, that is shapeless has no clear or definite shape, and often looks unattractive: · He was wearing a shapeless grey coat which really did not fit him.· People trudged on, carrying shapeless bundles full of clothes or bedding.
formal having no definite shape that can be described or recognized because everything you can see is unclear or is mixed together: · The molten rock hardens into amorphous forms.· In her later works, large, amorphous shapes seem to float on the canvas.
having a regular shape evenly shaped with parts or sides of equal size: · Draw a regular hexagon with 90 mm sides.· She was attractive rather than beautiful, with regular features and dark hair.
if something is symmetrical , its two halves, on either side of a central line, are exactly alike: · The leaves of most trees are symmetrical in shape.· Palladio built the Villa Rotunda following a symmetrical plan.
having a shape that is not regular unevenly shaped with parts or sides of unequal size: · Lake Powell's irregular coastline has many unspoiled beaches and secluded inlets.· I recognized the doctor's messy, irregular handwriting.
if something is asymmetrical , one half of it is not the same as the other - used in formal and technical contexts: · The design of the house is consciously asymmetrical with a large tower at one end.
to make something into a particular shape to make something into a particular shape, especially with your hands: · She cut away the corners to form a circle.form something into something: · With a few clever twists, he had formed the balloon into the shape of a dog.
British /mold American to make clay or some other soft material into a particular shape by pressing it or putting it into a special hollow object: · Her movements were quick and graceful, like those of a potter moulding clay.mould something into something: · Mould the sausage meat into little balls.
to make a soft material into a particular shape , especially by using your hands: · Gel is great for holding and shaping shorter hairstyles.shape something into something: · She had soaked the leather to bend and shape it into the form of a small shoe.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY an L-shaped living roomCOLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES It’s in pretty good condition for an old car. Boris had always kept his body in good shape. The Chancellor announced that the economy is in good shape. These fish are highly variable in color and pattern.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
an L-shaped living room· differences in body size and shape
· The result of this battle influenced the whole course of the war.
· Your boss is the one who writes your evaluations, recommends you for promotions and shapes your future.
It’s in pretty good condition for an old car. Boris had always kept his body in good shape. The Chancellor announced that the economy is in good shape. (=influence events that are recorded)· He is one of the politicians who shaped 20th century history.
(=develop it or have an influence on it)· These terrorist acts will not be allowed to shape our foreign policy.
These fish are highly variable in color and pattern.· A few days later the few uneven patches were shaped up with a second mowing, with the greatest of ease.· The story is shaping up as a major event.· Polly was alone once more, rejected and homeless, just when things had seemed to be shaping up.· Bob Farner is shaping up as the misdemeanor trial of the century.· Put a plug in it, Ollie. Shape up.· Immigration is shaping up as a major presidential campaign issue this year especially in California.· The parts can now be shaped up, the final cleaning up around the joint areas to be done after gluing.· Either way, it is shaping up as an interesting ride.
NOUN· Auden's influence on the young Britten was enormous: it shaped his whole attitude to the setting of words.· Children think in black and white, good and bad, and the comic has a powerful influence on shaping attitudes.· But on nothing has the culture of contentment been so successful as in shaping the accepted attitude toward the state.· Training and experience provide the expertise, whilst company culture and experience shape the attitudes.· The local topography helped in many subtle ways to shape their attitudes and whole outlook on life.
· Animals discover by experimentation what works and what does not, and so experience shapes the behaviour.· They provide social contexts for shaping the day-to-day behaviour or adolescents, and encourage conformity to norms and values.· When it comes to attributes such as size, shape or behaviour, many genes of large or small effect are involved.· Constanza says that the novel plays such a part in shaping social behaviour.· But that doesn't go very far unless you also examine the structural influences which shape personal behaviour.· A second difference is that animals are tested using instrumental learning procedures to shape their choice behaviour.
· Little do we know that this drink will shape the course of the rest of the tour.
· By providing an intellectual framework through which people interpret reality and understand history it must of necessity shape our culture.· Such points of reference are, of course, shaped by culture.· Two distinct, though interrelated, forces have shaped modern Western culture and identity.· She is a thoughtful, articulate woman shaped by contemporary pop culture.
· Part 1 reviews the forces shaping housing development and settlement patterns.· Always pioneering, his work in Leeds helped shape the direction of development within the City.· Moreover, the local council has been heavily implicated in these processes, initiating and shaping the town's development.
· All those events shaped the world after 1945.· If you learn to anticipate the future and shape events rather than being shaped by them you will benefit in significant ways.· The second major event to shape economic life in this country was the depression of the twenties and the thirties.· Then in a few weeks' time it will have been outstripped by the very events which it is shaping.· As well as important historical events that helped to shape the town, the walks show how people lived, worked and enjoyed themselves.
· One should also explore the present capacities of the client against the background of the life experience which shaped him/her.· It was the beginning of a passion for Bordeaux wines and a key experience that shaped his adult life.· This history and experience shaped the way he was perceived by others.· Animals discover by experimentation what works and what does not, and so experience shapes the behaviour.· This experience shaped the political ambition that led ultimately to his coup of 23 July 1952.· Training and experience provide the expertise, whilst company culture and experience shape the attitudes.
· These factors shaped distinctive family patterns in the working class.· We, as others, believe that Microsoft will be a big factor in shaping the on-line market.· A host of factors shape capitalists' confidence in the future.· The telcos' competitive or redundant activities will be a major factor in the shaping of the I-way.· Two major factors have shaped these changes.· This information will help to identify factors which shape their perceptions of the language and cultures of the Arab world.· Michael Haines has produced a nontechnical guide to the natural, economic and social factors which shape the modern industry.· Of course, there are other factors which will have shaped the result of this historic presidential election.
· There was time for domestic forces to shape a new nation without the same constant vigilance of the behaviour of neighbours.· Part 1 reviews the forces shaping housing development and settlement patterns.· His discussion of the forces that shape it is one of the best parts of his book.· In that sense the development of a post-industrial economy is unconnected to the forces which shaped industrial society.· Or did unseen forces shape them?· Two distinct, though interrelated, forces have shaped modern Western culture and identity.· His unbeatable skills in the ring and his deep insights into the historical forces shaping his era make him unique.
· Design is the activity which produces the form, which mediates the complex of inputs and shapes these into a form.· Thriving organizations, in contrast, embrace success in whatever shape or form it appears.· The move away from residential to alternative family care shaped the form of subsequent endeavours to help children.
· Acquired expertise and skill give her the confidence to make the choices that will shape her future.· Your boss is the one who writes your evaluations, recommends you for promotions and raises, and shapes your future.· In the scarred, sacred land, myths continue to distort the past and shape the future.· Those who are privileged achieve the competence with which to shape the future.· Buffalo needed expert advice and specific strategies to shape the district's future, he said.· The things they plan and share will shape the future of the city, as well as the future of their heirs.· Career majors provide a context in which students can learn and apply their academic skills and shape their future goals.
· These are the people we believe have shaped and moulded history, and the society in which we now live.· When man arrived, rivers shaped his history, and men, in turn, began to shape them.
· Children think in black and white, good and bad, and the comic has a powerful influence on shaping attitudes.· Perhaps these are the crucial influences that shape the child's personality development.· But that doesn't go very far unless you also examine the structural influences which shape personal behaviour.
· Things tend to go your way and you like that feeling of control in shaping your life.· We shape life, rather than being shaped by it.· This suggests that Elizabeth does have some freedom to shape her life, although society will always place limitations on that freedom.· It was the beginning of a passion for Bordeaux wines and a key experience that shaped his adult life.· A more qualified response might be, yes, in various ways which collectively have shaped musical life as we know it.· It feels as if distancing and disconnection are shaping modern life.
· Following the debacle of 1931, the trade unions came to play an increasingly important part in shaping Labour policy.· Modeled along Confucian lines, it consisted of six ministries that shaped policy, each paralleled by a department to implement decisions.· The extent to which ideas and values actually shape policy change requires careful empirical enquiry.· Recollections of past events do not necessarily shape policy, but they certainly influence the thinking of the individual who shapes policy.· Industry should be allowed to fashion and to shape its own policies based on the needs of the employer group companies.
· Consequently, they should prepare themselves for the process by shaping the plans for their appointment procedure in some detail.· In the process, they even shaped the agenda, putting a minimum wage hike high on the national table.· He conveys vividly the absurdity of a situation, but he is incurious about the underlying processes which shape it.· Moreover, the local council has been heavily implicated in these processes, initiating and shaping the town's development.
· Nevertheless, I shall argue that each theme has played an important role in shaping the functionalist style in public law.· Congress still has a big role to play in shaping the missile defence budget.· And yet the popular music Press plays a key role in shaping new styles and sounds.· And on letting it play as large a role in shaping the way we live.· While Dicey played a major role in shaping this tradition, his particular views are not to be equated with it.· Yet over the years internecine warfare has played an important role in shaping the Republican Party.· Geography too came to play a major role in shaping the social life of the city.
· In that sense the development of a post-industrial economy is unconnected to the forces which shaped industrial society.
· Multi-nationals' resources and ambitions shape both their global strategies and choices of location.· Morris claims that shaping the campaign strategy was not as simple as taking a poll and then determining what Clinton would say.· In shaping your strategy, do not assume that top management commitment and buy-in are enough.· Events and issues shape the strategy.· Many companies are looking outside their organization as well as within when shaping their business strategies.· Part 2 assists you in shaping and improvising strategies for leading performance and change initiatives.
· The many illustrated journals of the day carried photographs and these images were influential in shaping people's view of the war.· The narrator uses Isabel to shape his views on the nature of biography and biographical conventions.· Our past failures to use shop floor people as problem-solvers have shaped the view that labour is a problem.· The public policy of the United States is shaped with a view to the benefit of the nation as a whole.· Whichever direction it may be taking, a monarchy-shaped blur obscures the view.
· It cropped up yesterday with the information that a positive mind shapes the world around us, preventing frustration and disappointment.· Her decisions would go far toward shaping the postwar world.· A team which can help shape the world for the next century.· All those events shaped the world after 1945.· So unless some action is taken to shape globalisation the world will grow more dangerous and volatile.· Experience nearly 200 years of the technical and social history on the railways and see the way they shaped the world.· In a properly shape world, all the pupils could walk there and home again.· The windscreen wipers give us two neat fan shapes to view the world through.
VERB· Such characteristics inevitably help to shape parent reactions, which in turn affect the child's adjustment.· They also powerfully helped to shape the subsequent roles and responsibilities of the major providers during the period in the District.· Political leaders, where they can be set apart from the party, may help to shape a party's image.· Soviet experience has also helped to shape the role of labour unions in socialist states elsewhere.· He had helped to shape it, and he was probably right.· Always pioneering, his work in Leeds helped shape the direction of development within the City.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► throw shapes
- Hey, don't get all bent out of shape!
- Meg plays Alice, a cheerful hippy in the minutes before everything goes pear-shaped.
- I am not responsible for his actions in any way, shape, or form.
WORD FAMILYadjectiveshapelessshapelymisshapennounshapeverbshapeadverbshapelessly
1to influence something such as a belief, opinion etc and make it develop in a particular way: People’s political beliefs are shaped by what they see in the papers.2to make something have a particular shape, especially by pressing itshape something into something Shape the dough into small balls.egg-shaped/V-shaped etc an L-shaped living roomshape up phrasal verb informal1to improve your behaviour or work: You kids had better shape up, because I’m in no mood to fool around.2to make progress in a particular way: Ken’s plans for the business are shaping up nicely.shape up as Immigration is shaping up as a major issue in the campaign.shape up to be something It’s shaping up to be a pretty big party.3shape up or ship out American English spoken used to tell someone that if they do not improve, they will be made to leave a place or their job- whisky
- whisper
- whispering campaign
- whist
- whistle
- whistle-blower
- whistle-blowing
- Whistler, James McNeill
- whistle-stop
- Whit
- whit
- Whitaker's Almanack
- white
- whitebait
- white blood cell
- whiteboard
- white-bread
- whitecaps
- white Christmas
- white cliffs of Dover
- white-collar
- white corpuscle
- white dwarf
- white elephant
- white flag