[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/shape.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / shape

[← S](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/S/)

# shape

«shape» in Mova's school dictionary: **the outline or form of something, like a circle, square…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun, verb (shape, shapes, shaped, shaping)

### meaning for a pupil

1) A shape is the outline or form of something, like a circle, square or triangle. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shape/#m1)

2) A shape is also a flat or solid figure in maths. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shape/#m2)

3) To shape something is to make it into a certain form, like shaping clay. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shape/#m3)

4) «In good shape» means fit and healthy or in good condition. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shape/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

Maths: figures with sides and corners — 2-D shapes (square, triangle) and 3-D shapes (cube, sphere); counted, sorted or measured (perimeter, area). Art: shape clay or dough. Everyday: in shape, out of shape, take shape (start to look finished).

### examples

- This shape has 4 equal sides. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shape/#x1)
- How many shapes are triangles? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shape/#x2)
- What is the perimeter of the shape? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shape/#x3)
- Draw a shape with 5 sides. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shape/#x4)
- She shaped the clay into a bowl. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shape/#x5)
- Clouds come in all shapes and sizes. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shape/#x6)
- Dad runs every morning to stay in shape. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shape/#x7)
- The new playground is taking shape. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shape/#x8)

### note

Countable: a shape, shapes. Names of shapes hide numbers of sides (triangle 3, square 4, pentagon 5, hexagon 6). A circle has no straight sides and no corners. Trap: a square is also a rectangle, but not every rectangle is a square.

### In the corpora

- [A story told through three people often comes back a different shape; a visit can become an emigration.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/42-our-street-feuds-newcomers-and-stories-that-grow/10/)
- [Minimalism is art that uses very little, like simple shapes; whether a nearly empty work is deep or a con is argued.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/arts/18-modern-art-my-little-brother-could-do-that/16/)
- [Hands are one of the hardest things to draw; drawing your own hand often, starting with simple shapes, helps.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/arts/37-being-bad-at-something-and-keeping-going/14/)
- [Lions have a special voice box with square-shaped folds that make a very deep, loud sound.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/18-the-lion-king-of-the-beasts/7/)
- [A bottlenose dolphin has around 80 to 100 cone-shaped teeth, gets only one set for life, and swallows fish whole.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/27-dolphins-porpoises-and-seals/9/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «shape» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shape/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.