inform definition | Dictionary.com

in⋅form

1 [in-fawrm]

–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.

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.
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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.
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).
To be a pervasive presence in; animate: "It is this brash, backroom sensibility that informs his work as a novelist" (Jeff Shear).
Obsolete To form (the mind or character) by teaching or training.

v. intr.

To give or provide information.
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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Inform

In*form"\, a. [L. informis; pref. in- not + forma form, shape: cf. F. informe] Without regular form; shapeless; ugly; deformed. --Cotton.

Inform

In*form"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Informed; p. pr. & vb. n. Informing.] [OE. enformen, OF. enformer, F. informer. L. informare; pref. in- in + formare to form, share, fr. forma form. See Form.]

1. To give form or share to; to give vital ororganizing power to; to give life to; to imbue and actuate with vitality; to animate; to mold; to figure; to fashion.

"The informing Word." --Coleridge.

Let others better mold the running mass Of metals, and inform the breathing brass. --Dryden.

Breath informs this fleeting frame. --Prior.

Breathes in our soul,informs our mortal part. --Pope.

2. To communicate knowledge to; to make known to; to acquaint; to advise; to instruct; to tell; to notify; to enlighten; -- usually followed by of.

For he would learn their business secretly, And then inform his master hastily. --Spenser.

I am informed thoroughky of the cause. --Shak.

3. To communicate a knowledge of facts to,by way of accusation; to warn against anybody.

Tertullus . . . informed the governor against Paul. --Acts xxiv. 1.

Syn: To acquaint; apprise; tell; teach; instruct; enlighten; animate; fashion.

Inform

In*form"\, v. t. 1. To take form; to become visible or manifest; to appear. [Obs.]

It is the bloody business which informs Thus to mine eyes. --Shak.

2. To give intelligence or information; to tell. --Shak.

He might either teach in the same manner,or inform how he had been taught. --Monthly Rev.

To inform against, to communicate facts by way of accusation against; to denounce; as, two persons came to the magistrate, and informed against A.

Language Translation for : inform

Spanish: informar,

German: in Kenntnis setzen,

Japanese: 知らせる

More Translations »

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.

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