inform1
[in-fawrm]
- to give or impart knowledge of a fact or circumstance to: He informed them of his arrival.
- to supply (oneself) with knowledge of a matter or subject: She informed herself of all the pertinent facts.
- to give evident substance, character, or distinction to; pervade or permeate with manifest effect: A love of nature informed his writing.
- to animate or inspire.
- Obsolete.
- to train or instruct.
- to make known; disclose.
- to give or impart form to.
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- to give information; supply knowledge or enlightenment: a magazine that entertains more than it informs.
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- inform on, to furnish incriminating evidence about (someone) to an authority, prosecuting officer, etc.: He informed on his accomplices.
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Origin of inform1
Synonyms
See more synonyms for inform on Thesaurus.com1. apprise; notify, advise, tell. 2. acquaint.
inform2
[in-fawrm]
- without form; formless.
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Origin of inform2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for inform
Contemporary Examples
I would like to inform everyone not to take the page too seriously, we are not trying to promote anything.
The signs, he said, were designed to inform people in the neighborhood — not to get him press.
But the official said this was meant only to inform Iran about U.S. actions, not to start negotiations over what to do about ISIS.
Hobbes lacked the data of archaeology and anthropology to inform his theories about the dangerous nature of pre-state existence.
Gupta has to entertain, as much as inform, around a gruesome situation.
Historical Examples
Before I go out, I must inform you of one thing you must be careful about.
The Imaginary InvalidMolire
I ventured to inform him on this point and he thanked me with some emotion.
Camps, Quarters and Casual PlacesArchibald Forbes
Eleanor insisted that John should not inform his mother of her return to work.
The Foolish LoversSt. John G. Ervine
"If madame will call again, I will inform her of my plans," said Mr. Love.
Night and Morning, CompleteEdward Bulwer-Lytton
I thought it could be no harm, to get you to inform yourself, and me, of what could be gathered.
Clarissa, Volume 2 (of 9)Samuel Richardson
inform1
- (tr; often foll by of or about) to give information to; tell
- (tr; often foll by of or about) to make conversant (with)
- (intr; often foll by against or on) to give information regarding criminals, as to the police, etc
- to give form to
- to impart some essential or formative characteristic to
- (tr) to animate or inspire
- (tr) obsolete
- to train or educate
- to report
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Word Origin
C14: from Latin informāre to give form to, describe, from formāre to form
inform2
- archaic without shape; unformed
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Word Origin
C16: from Latin informis from in- 1 + forma shape
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for inform
v.
early 14c., "to train or instruct in some specific subject," from Old French informer "instruct, inform, teach," and directly from Latin informare "to shape, form," figuratively "train, instruct, educate," from in- "into" (see in- (2)) + formare "to form, shape," from forma "form" (see form (n.)). Varied with enform until c.1600. Sense of "report facts or news" first recorded late 14c. Related: Informed; informing.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper