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Inform

 - 4 dictionary results

in⋅form

1  [in-fawrm]
Use Inform in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to give or impart knowledge of a fact or circumstance to: He informed them of his arrival.
2. to supply (oneself) with knowledge of a matter or subject: She informed herself of all the pertinent facts.
3. to give evident substance, character, or distinction to; pervade or permeate with manifest effect: A love of nature informed his writing.
4. to animate or inspire.
5. Obsolete.
a. to train or instruct.
b. to make known; disclose.
c. to give or impart form to.
–verb (used without object)
6. to give information; supply knowledge or enlightenment: a magazine that entertains more than it informs.
—Verb phrase
7. inform on, to furnish incriminating evidence about (someone) to an authority, prosecuting officer, etc.: He informed on his accomplices.
Origin:
1275–1325; ME informen < L infōrmāre to form, shape, equiv. to in- in- 2 + fōrmāre to form; r. ME enfourmen < MF enfourmer < L, as above

Related forms:
in⋅form⋅a⋅ble, adjective
in⋅form⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. apprise; notify, advise, tell. 2. acquaint.

in⋅form

2  [in-fawrm]
–adjective Obsolete.
without form; formless.
Origin:
1545–55; < L informis formless, deformed, equiv. to in- in- 3 + -formis -form
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Inform
in·form   (ĭn-fôrm')   
v.   in·formed, in·form·ing, in·forms

v.   tr.

    1. To impart information to; make aware of something: We were informed by mail of the change in plans. The nurse informed me that visiting hours were over.

    2. To acquaint (oneself) with knowledge of a subject.

  2. To give form or character to; imbue with a quality or an essence: "A society's strength is measured by . . . its ability to inform a future generation with its moral standards" (Vanity Fair).

  3. To be a pervasive presence in; animate: "It is this brash, backroom sensibility that informs his work as a novelist" (Jeff Shear).

  4. Obsolete To form (the mind or character) by teaching or training.

v.   intr.

  1. To give or provide information.

  2. To disclose confidential or incriminating information to an authority: The defendant informed against the other members of the ring.


[Middle English enfourmen, informen, from Old French enfourmer, from Latin īnfōrmāre : in-, in; see in-2 + fōrmāre, to fashion (from fōrma, form).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

inform 
1320, "to train or instruct in some specific subject," from L. informare "to shape, form, train, instruct, educate," from in- "into" + forma "form." Sense of "report facts or news" first recorded 1386. Informative "instructive" is from 1655. Informer "one who gives information against another" (especially in ref. to law-breaking) is from 1503.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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