shape

Word family  noun shape adjective shapeless shapely misshapen verb shape adverb shapelessly

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Shapes, patterns

ldoce_297_hshape1 /ʃeɪp/ ●●● S2 W2 noun  1  round/square etc 圆形/正方形等 [countable, uncountable]SHAPE the form that something has, for example round, square, triangular etc 形，形状，外形 What shape is the table? 那张桌子是什么形状的？ You can recognize a tree by the shape of its leaves. 可以根据树叶的形状辨认出是什么树。round/square etc in shape The dining room was square in shape. 饭厅是正方形的。 His battered old hat had completely lost its shape. 他那顶破旧的帽子已经完全变形了。in the shape of something a silver pin in the shape of a large bird 一枚大鸟形状的银胸针 The plants grow in every shape and size. 这些植物有各种形状，各种大小。 The children cut out shapes (=squares, triangles etc) from the piece of cardboard. 孩子们把卡纸片剪成各种形状。out of shape The wheel had been bent out of shape. 这个轮子弯曲变形了。 →5  See picture of quadrilateral 四边形, trapezium BrE【英】/trapezoid AmE【美】, parallelogram 平行四边形 ...2  health/condition 健康/状况 a) in good/bad/poor etc shape in good, bad etc condition, or in good, bad etc health 情况良好/不佳/糟糕等；健康状况良好/不佳/糟糕等 For an old car, it’s in pretty good shape. 对一辆旧车来说，它的状况相当不错了。 The economy is in worse shape now than it was last year. 现在的经济状况比去年更糟。 Kaplan seemed to be in better shape than either of us. 卡普兰的身体状况似乎比我们俩都好。 b) in shape/out of shape in a good or bad state of health or physical fitness 健康状况良好/不好 → fit, unfit I was feeling totally out of shape. 我感到身体状况很不好。 I’ve got to get into shape before summer. 夏天到来之前我得让身体强健起来。keep/stay in shape She’s bought an exercise bike to keep in shape. 她买了辆健身单车来锻炼身体。 c) be in no shape to do something to be sick, tired, drunk etc, and not able to do something well 〔因生病、疲劳、酒醉等原因而〕无法做某事，做不了某事 Mel was in no shape to drive home after the party. 梅尔在聚会结束后醉得无法开车回家。3  knock/lick/get somebody/something into shape IMPROVEto make someone or something better so that they reach the necessary standard 把某人训练好；使某物达到标准 Some of them lack experience, but we’ll soon knock them into shape. 他们有些人还缺乏经验，但我们很快就能让他们上手的。4  character of STH 某物的特点 [singular]CHARACTER OF something the way something looks, works, or is organized 形态；形式；方式shape of Computers have completely changed the shape of our industry. 计算机已经完全改变了我们的工业模式。 This new technique is the shape of things to come (=an example of the way things will develop in the future). 这种新技术是未来的发展方向。5  take shape DEVELOPto develop into a clear and definite form 形成 An idea was beginning to take shape in his mind. 一个想法开始在他脑子里形成。6  in the shape of something CONSIST OF/BE MADE OFused to explain what something consists of 以…的形式〔用以解释某事物的组成〕 Help came in the shape of a $10,000 loan from his parents. 他父母帮助他，借给他一万美元。7  not 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 不能以任何形式，不允许以任何方式 We will not tolerate racism in any shape or form. 我们决不能容忍任何形式的种族主义。8  thing not seen clearly 看不清楚的东西 [countable]SHAPE a thing or person that you cannot see clearly enough to recognize 〔物或人〕朦胧的形状，看不清的东西 A dark shape moved behind them. 一个模糊的黑影在他们身后移动。n 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 squarea square boxcircular/round shaped like a circlea circular tablesemicircular shaped like a semicirclea semicircular arch above the doortriangular shaped like a trianglesails divided into triangular sectionsrectangular shaped like a rectanglea simple rectangular buildingoval shaped like an ovalan oval swimming poolcylindrical shaped like a cylinder The statue is on top of a tall cylindrical column.spherical shaped like a ballThe planet Saturn is not completely spherical.

Examples from the Corpus

shape• The future size and shape of these forces is under debate.• 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.• The fruits are similar in shape and size to plums.• Of course, getting into shape is only as good as staying in shape.• When a neurotransmitter attaches itself outside, the part on the inside changes its shape.• We could just see a couple of shapes in the distance.• If a mole changes color or shape, see a doctor.• It was Mr Oliver Wendell Holmes who said that a mind stretched to a new idea never returns to its original shape.• Such retro shapes demand parallel patterns.• The candlelight on the peeling walls made scary shapes that I'd never noticed before.• The pool was custom built, it is an unusual shape.• What shape is the swimming pool?round/square etc in shape• Gaperon is rounded in shape and made from skimmed milk or buttermilk and often flavoured with garlic or peppercorns.• The ventral arm plates are keeled rounded pentagonal to nearly square in shape and contiguous.• Brawn is usually square in shape and therefore quite unlike a sausage, although it is classified as one.• The dining-room, for such it was, was square in shape, and simply furnished.• They were round in shape, and about three-sixteenths of an inch in width.the shape of things to come• She is 70 now, and the shape of things to come.• Unlike religion, science promised the final authority, the shape of things to come.• A business approach to education could be the shape of things to come.• Parisians saw the shape of things to come in the wooden triangulation towers which were set up throughout the city.• It was the shape of things to come.shape2 ●●○ verb [transitive]  1  EFFECT/INFLUENCEto influence something such as a belief, opinion etc and make it develop in a particular way 形成〔某种信仰、看法等〕，影响〔某事物的发展等〕 People’s political beliefs are shaped by what they see in the papers. 人们的政治观点受报纸的影响。2  MAKEto make something have a particular shape, especially by pressing it 〔尤指通过挤压等〕使成为某种形状，使成形shape something into something Shape the dough into small balls. 把面团搓成小圆球。egg-shaped/V-shaped etc an L-shaped living room L形起居室3 shape up phrasal verb informal a) IMPROVEto improve your behaviour or work 改进〔行为或工作〕 You kids had better shape up, because I’m in no mood to fool around. 你们这些孩子最好规矩点，我可不想浪费时间。b) IMPROVEto make progress in a particular way 进展；发展 Ken’s plans for the business are shaping up nicely. 肯为公司制订的计划进展良好。 as Immigration is shaping up as a major issue in the campaign. 移民问题在此次竞选活动中逐渐成为一个重要的议题。shape up to be something It’s shaping up to be a pretty big party. 它逐渐发展为一个规模相当大的政党。c) shape up or ship out American English spokenIMPROVE used to tell someone that if they do not improve, they will be made to leave a place or their job 不改进就走人→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

shape• 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.• Tealight candleholders by Design Ideas, for instance, are daisy shaped but colored acid blue, lime green and raspberry.• Teenagers' tastes and preferences are shaped by what they see in the media.• One should also explore the present capacities of the client against the background of the life experience which shaped him/her.• She had soaked the leather to bend and shape it into the form of a small shoe.• Gel is great for holding and shaping shorter hairstyles.• 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.• Those who are privileged achieve the competence with which to shape the future.• But the company sees state regulatory rules shaping up unfavorably for it, as a would-be competitor for residential customers.nSHAPE /ʃeɪp/  n1.(Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe) the place in Belgium where the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, one of the military commanders of nato, is basedOrigin shape2 Old English scieppan

shape1 noun →n THESAURUS1shape2 verbSHAPELDOCE OnlineChinese  

for form that Corpus has, the something

shape

I

shape¹ S2 W2 /ʃeɪp/ noun1.  ROUND/SQUARE ETC  [uncountable and countable] 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.
2.  HEALTH/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 ⇨ fit, unfit:
    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. 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.
3. knock/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.
4.  CHARACTER OF SOMETHING  [singular] the way something looks, works, or is organized
    shape 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).
5. take shape to develop into a clear and definite form:
    An idea was beginning to take shape in his mind.
6. in the shape of something used to explain what something consists of:
    Help came in the shape of a $10,000 loan from his parents.
7. not 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.
8.  THING NOT SEEN CLEARLY  [countable] a thing or person that you cannot see clearly enough to recognize:
    A dark shape moved behind them.
     

THESAURUS

■ types of shapes
   ▪ square a shape with four straight sides that are equal in length and four angles of 90 degrees
   ▪ circle a round shape that is like an O
   ▪ semicircle half a circle
   ▪ triangle a shape with three straight sides and three angles
   ▪ rectangle a shape with four straight sides and four angles of 90 degrees
   ▪ oval a shape like a circle, but that is longer than it is wide
   ▪ cylinder an object in the shape of a tube
   ▪ cube a solid object with six equal square sides
   ▪ pyramid a shape with a square base and four triangular sides that meet in a point at the top
   ▪ sphere a shape like a ball
■ describing types of shapes
   ▪ square shaped like a square: a square box
   ▪ circular/round shaped like a circle: a circular table
   ▪ semicircular shaped like a semicircle: a semicircular arch above the door
   ▪ triangular shaped like a triangle: sails divided into triangular sections
   ▪ rectangular shaped like a rectangle: a simple rectangular building
   ▪ oval shaped like an oval: an oval swimming pool
   ▪ cylindrical 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.

II

shape² verb [transitive]1. to 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.
2. to make something have a particular shape, especially by pressing it
    shape something into something
    Shape the dough into small balls.
    egg-shaped/V-shaped etc
    an L-shaped living room
     
shape up phrasal verb informal
  1. to improve your behaviour or work:
    You kids had better shape up, because I’m in no mood to fool around.
  2. to 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.
  3. shape 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

SHAPE
SHAPE /ʃeɪp/
abbreviation for Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe; the place in Belgium where the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, one of the military commanders of NATO, is based