1 describing shapes
2 some common shapes
3 being or becoming or making a shape
the shape of people's bodies BODY
1 describing shapes
- the physical outline or outer form of sth: shape, (usually used when talking about shapes in art) form
What shape is the room? ◎ an unusual shape ◎ to change the shape of sth ◎ She made a statue in the form of a horse.
- having a certain shape: shaped (like sth), in the shape of sth
The lake was shaped like an 'S'. ◎ a heart-shaped birthday card ◎ a cake made in the shape of a house
- a thing which does not have an attractive or a definite shape is shapeless
a shapeless dress
- if sth loses its correct shape, it is out of shape
The first time I washed my pullover it went out of shape.
- if sth is evenly shaped, with equal sides and angles, it is regular; opposite: irregular
A square is a regular shape. ◎ an irregular pattern
- if sth has two halves, one of which is the mirror image of the other, it is symmetrical; noun (U): symmetry
a symmetrical design ◎ perfect symmetry
- the area of mathematics concerned with angles, lines, shapes, etc: geometry (noun U)
- the length, width or height of sth: dimension
What are the dimensions of the room?
- having two dimensions; flat: two-dimensional
A square is a two-dimensional shape.
- not flat; having the three dimensions of height, length and width: three-dimensional
- an object which has length, width and height (especially in mathematics): solid
A cube is a solid.
- a line that shows the shape or outside edge of sth: outline
She drew the outline of a horse and then coloured it in.
- the outline or shape of the outer surface of sth (especially of natural curves): contour
the earth's contours ◎ the contours of sb's body
2 some common shapes
※ shapes with straight lines| shape | adjective |
| square | square rectangle, oblong |
| | rectangular, oblongtriangle |
| | triangular parallelogram |
| | star |
| | star-shapedcross |
| | cross-shapeddiamond |
| | diamond-shaped |
- a shape with 5 straight sides: pentagon; adjective: pentagonal
- a shape with 6 straight sides: hexagon; adjective: hexagonal
- a shape with 7 straight side: heptagon; adjective: heptagonal
- a shape with 8 straight sides: octagon; adjective: octagonal
※ round and curved shapes| shape | adjective |
| circle | circular, round semicircle |
| | semicircular oval |
| | ovalcrescent |
| | crescent-shaped |
※ more on circles CIRCLE
※ shapes which have three dimensions| shape | adjective |
| cube | cube-shaped, cuboid cylinder |
| | cylindrical pyramid |
| | pyramidal cone |
| | conical sphere |
| | spherical, ball-shaped |
- something that is made into the shape of a cylinder by winding it around itself: roll
a roll of toilet paper ◎ a roll of film ◎ a roll of cloth
- a length of rope, wire, etc that has been wound into a round shape: coil
- a long curve that moves upwards going round and round a central point: spiral
- curved outwards like the outside of a ball: convex; opposite: concave
3 being or becoming or making a shape
- to have a particular shape or cause sth to have a shape: form sth
The petals of this flower form a kind of star shape. ◎ She took the clay and began to form it into the shape of a head.
- to make sth into a particular shape: shape sth, make* sth in(to) the shape of sth
Shape the mixture into balls. ◎ Why don't you make her birthday card in the shape of a cat?
- to make sth like clay into a particular shape or form: mould (AmE mold) sth, model sth
She moulded the clay into the shape of a head. ◎ He modelled the figure of a man from clay.
- to cut around the outside edge of a shape: cut* sth out
The children cut out lots of different shapes and stuck them on the walls.
- to make sth straight: straighten sth (out)
- to make sth flat: flatten sth (out)
- to make sth that was straight into a curved shape: bend* sth (into sth)
Bend it back into shape (= back to its original shape) .
- to make sth into a roll: roll sth (up)
to roll up a carpet
- to become the shape of a coil: coil; to make sth into this shape: coil sth (up)
to coil a piece of rope
- to become the shape of a curl (= a curved shape): curl up; to make sth into this shape curl sth
an old newspaper, curling up at the edges ◎ The cat curled up on the sofa. ◎ to curl your hair
※ straight and not straight STRAIGHT
