forshape

English

Etymology

From Middle English forshapen, forschapen (to transform), from Old English forsċieppan, forsċeppan (to transform), from Proto-Germanic *fra- + *skapjaną, equivalent to for- + shape. Cognate with German verschaffen (to provide, supply, furnish), Swedish förskapa (to cut out).

Verb

forshape (third-person singular simple present forshapes, present participle forshaping, simple past forshope or forshaped, past participle forshapen or forshaped)

  1. (transitive, Britain dialectal) To metamorphose; change the shape of; transform.
    Unkindelich he was transformed, That he which erst a man was formed, Into a woman was forshape[n]. ― Gower.
  2. (transitive, Britain dialectal) To put out of shape; distort; make misshapen; disfigure.
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.