mould

¹

/ məʊld /

noun

1. a shaped cavity used to give a definite form to fluid or plastic material

2. a frame on which something may be constructed

3. something shaped in or made on a mould

4. shape, form, design, or pattern

5. specific nature, character, or type

   heroic mould

verb

1. to make in a mould

2. to shape or form, as by using a mould

3. to influence or direct

   to mould opinion

4. to cling to

   the skirt moulds her figure

5. metallurgy to make (a material such as sand) into a mould that is used in casting

mould

²

/ məʊld /

noun

1. a coating or discoloration caused by various saprotrophic fungi that develop in a damp atmosphere on the surface of stored food, fabrics, wallpaper, etc

2. any of the fungi that causes this growth

verb

1. to become or cause to become covered with this growth

mould

³

/ məʊld /

noun

1. loose soil, esp when rich in organic matter

2. poetic,  the earth

Other Word Forms

• mouldable adjective
• mouldability noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of mould¹

C13 (n): changed from Old French modle, from Latin modulus a small measure, _module

Origin of mould²

C15: dialect (Northern English) mowlde mouldy, from the past participle of moulen to become mouldy, probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse mugla mould

Origin of mould³

Old English molde; related to Old High German molta soil, Gothic mulde

Example Sentences

More than 30,000 UK homes have had botched insulation fitted under government schemes putting them at risk of damp and mould, ministers have revealed.

From BBC

But he adds that he believes his party has the strongest track record of delivering MSPs who fit this mould.

From BBC

Mr Uddin discovered a grouping of slime moulds arranged on a fallen log in a forest.

From BBC

Social media platforms, particularly TikTok, have played a significant role in shifting perceptions, allowing athletes to tell their own stories and highlighting the ways they break the mould.

From BBC

Games like The Last of Us, partly moulded by writers like Halley Gross, boast layered female characters at their core.

From BBC

Related Words

• chisel 
• divide 
• engrave 
• etch 
• fashion 
• hack 
• mold 
• sculpt 
• shape 
• slice