a particular or definite organized form or expression: He could give no shape to his ideas.
7.
proper form; orderly arrangement.
8.
condition or state of repair: The old house was in bad shape. He was sick last year, but is in good shape now.
9.
the collective conditions forming a way of life or mode of existence: What will the shape of the future be?
10.
the figure, physique, or body of a person, especially of a woman: A dancer can keep her shape longer than those of us who have sedentary jobs.
11.
something used to give form, as a mold or a pattern.
12.
Also called section.Building Trades,Metalworking. a flanged metal beam or bar of uniform section, as a channel iron, I-beam, etc.
13.
Nautical. a ball, cone, drum, etc., used as a day signal, singly or in combinations, to designate a vessel at anchor or engaged in some particular operation.
Animal Behavior,Psychology. to teach (a desired behavior) to a human or other animal by successively rewarding the actions that more and more closely approximate that behavior.
to come to a desired conclusion or take place in a specified way: If discussions shape properly, the companies will merge.
Verb phrase
22.
shape up,
a.
to assume a specific form: The plan is beginning to shape up.
b.
to evolve or develop, especially favorably.
c.
to improve one's behavior or performance to meet a required standard.
d.
to get oneself into good physical condition.
e.
(of longshoremen) to get into a line or formation in order to be assigned the day's work.
Idiom
23.
take shape, to assume a fixed form; become definite: The house is beginning to take shape.
Origin: before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English gesceapu (plural); replacing dial. shap,Middle English; Old English gesceap (singular); cognate with Old Norse skap state, mood; (v.) Middle English; Old English sceapen (past participle); replacing Middle English sheppe, shippe,Old English sceppan,scyppan; cognate with German schaffen,Old Norse skepja,Gothic -skapjan to make
Related forms
shap·a·ble, shape·a·ble, adjective
out·shape, verb (used with object), out·shaped, out·shap·ing.
pre·shape, noun, verb (used with object), pre·shaped, pre·shap·ing.
trans·shape, verb (used with object), trans·shaped, trans·shap·ing.
O.E. gesceap "creation, form, destiny," from root of shape (v.)). Meaning "contours of the body" is attested from c.1393. Meaning "condition, state" is first recorded 1865, Amer.Eng. In M.E., the word also had a sense of "a woman's private parts." Shapely "well-formed" is recorded from 1382.