English Dictionary

Definition of “inform”

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1inform1 (ɪnˈfɔːmPronunciation for inform1) 

Definitions

verb

  1. (tr; often foll by of or about) to give information to; tell
  2. (tr; often foll by of or about) to make conversant (with)
  3. (intr; often foll by against or on) to give information regarding criminals, as to the police, etc
  4. to give form to
  5. to impart some essential or formative characteristic to
  6. (tr) to animate or inspire
  7. (tr) obsolete 
    1. to train or educate
    2. to report

Alternative Forms

inˈformable adjective informedly (ɪnˈfɔːmɪdlɪPronunciation for informedly)  adverb inˈformingly adverb

Word Origin

C14: from Latin informāre  to give form to, describe, from formāre to form

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry
= tell, advise, let someone know notify, brief, instruct, edify, enlighten, acquaint, leak to communicate to fill someone in keep someone posted apprise, clue someone in put someone in the picture tip someone off send word to give someone to understand make someone conversant (with)
= infuse, characterize, permeate, animate, saturate, typify, imbue, suffuse,

2inform2 (ɪnˈfɔːmPronunciation for inform2) 

Definitions

adjective

  1. archaic without shape; unformed

Word Origin

C16: from Latin informis  from in-C16: from Latin from 1 + shape + forma shape

Quotations

  • "Never tell tales out of school"

Translations

  • British English: inform Pronunciation for inform If you inform someone of something, you tell them about it.They informed him of any progress they had made.ɪnˈfɔːm VERB They informed him of any progress they had made.
  • Spanish: informar Pronunciation for informar v
  • French: informer Pronunciation for informer vt
  • German: informieren Pronunciation for informieren v
  • Chinese: 告知Pronunciation for 告知 v
  • Arabic: يُبْلِغُ عَنْPronunciation for يُبْلِغُ عَنْ vt
  • Portuguese: informarPronunciation for informar v
  • Russian: информироватьPronunciation for информировать v
  • Croatian: obavijestitiPronunciation for obavijestiti v
  • Czech: informovatPronunciation for informovat v
  • Danish: informerePronunciation for informere v
  • Dutch: informerenPronunciation for informeren v
  • Finnish: tiedottaaPronunciation for tiedottaa v
  • Greek: πληροφορώPronunciation for πληροφορώ v
  • Italian: informarePronunciation for informare v
  • Japanese: 知らせるPronunciation for 知らせる v
  • Korean: 알리다Pronunciation for 알리다 v
  • Norwegian: informerePronunciation for informere v
  • Polish: poinformowaćPronunciation for poinformować v informować
  • Brazilian Portuguese: informarPronunciation for informar v
  • European Spanish: informar Pronunciation for informar v
  • Swedish: upplysaPronunciation for upplysa v
  • Thai: แจ้งให้ทราบPronunciation for แจ้งให้ทราบ v
  • Turkish: bilgi vermekPronunciation for bilgi vermek v
  • Vietnamese: thông báoPronunciation for thông báo v

Usage examples

  • During one of our major rows, she had threatened to inform London that she could no longer take responsibility for working with me.
    Hilton, John Buxton, Moondrop to Murder (1986)
  • "Going outside to look at stuff doesn't inform me very much.
    Globe and Mail (2003)
  • By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo MIDDLESBROUGH will test Liverpool's resolve to keep Emile Heskey with a bid for the inform striker.
    Liverpool Daily Post and Echo (2004)
  • Some doctors have argued that Western medicine has become rather too obsessed with the need to inform patients about treatment options.
    Dylan Evans, PLACEBO: The Belief Effect (2003)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'I'

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