English Explanatory Dictionary

inform

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

To instruct, train (usually in matters of knowledge).
To communicate knowledge to.
To impart information or knowledge.
To act as an informer; denounce.
To give form or character to; to inspire (with a given quality); to affect, influence (with a pervading principle, idea etc.).
To make known, wisely and/or knowledgeably.
To direct, guide.
To take form; to become visible or manifest; to appear.

adj

Without regular form; shapeless; ugly; deformed.

Pronunciation

/ɪnˈfɔɹm/ /ɪnˈfɔːm/ en-us-inform.ogg

Word forms

inform informs informing informed enform

Etymology

From Middle English informen, enformen, borrowed from Old French enformer, informer (“to train, instruct, inform”), from Latin īnfōrmō (“to shape, form, train, instruct, educate”), from in- (“into”) + fōrma (“form, shape”), equivalent to in- + form.

Synonyms

apprise notify name names peach snitch take shape advise discuss enlighten impart inform keep informed let know tell acquaint dob materialize

Antonyms

encrypt disinform misguide misinform mislead withhold

Derived words

informance informant information informative informatory informed informee informer inform on misinform overinform preinform reinform uninform uninformed

This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.

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