reform

[ri-fawrm]

noun

the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc.: social reform; spelling reform.

an instance of this.

the amendment of conduct, belief, etc.

verb (used with object)

to change to a better state, form, etc.; improve by alteration, substitution, abolition, etc.

to cause (a person) to abandon wrong or evil ways of life or conduct.

to put an end to (abuses, disorders, etc.).

Chemistry. to subject to the process of reforming, as in refining petroleum.

verb (used without object)

to abandon evil conduct or error: The drunkard promised to reform.

adjective

(initial capital letter) of, relating to, or characteristic of Reform Jews or Reform Judaism: a Reform rabbi.

Origin of reform

1300–50; (v.) Middle English reformen < Middle French reformer, Old French < Latin refōrmāre (see re-, form); (noun) partly derivative of the v., partly < French réforme

Related formsre·form·a·ble, adjectivere·form·a·bil·i·ty, re·form·a·ble·ness, nounre·form·a·tive, adjectivere·form·a·tive·ly, adverbre·form·a·tive·ness, nounre·form·ing·ly, adverban·ti·re·form, adjectivemis·re·form, verbpre·re·form, adjectivepro·re·form, adjectiveself-re·form, nounsu·per·re·form, noun, verb (used with object)un·re·form·a·ble, adjectiveun·re·form·a·tive, adjective

Can be confusedre-form reform

Synonyms for reform

1. correction, reformation, betterment, amelioration. 4. better, rectify, correct, amend, emend, ameliorate, repair, restore.

Antonyms for reform

1. deterioration.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for proreform

proreform

adjective

in favour of or supporting reform, esp within politics

reform

verb

(tr) to improve (an existing institution, law, practice, etc) by alteration or correction of abuses

to give up or cause to give up a reprehensible habit or immoral way of life

chem to change the molecular structure of (a hydrocarbon) to make it suitable for use as petrol by heat, pressure, and the action of catalysts

noun

an improvement or change for the better, esp as a result of correction of legal or political abuses or malpractices

a principle, campaign, or measure aimed at achieving such change

improvement of morals or behaviour, esp by giving up some vice

Derived Formsreformable, adjectivereformative, adjectivereformer, noun

Word Origin for reform

C14: via Old French from Latin reformāre to form again

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for proreform

reform

c.1300, "to convert into another and better form," from Old French reformer "rebuild, reconstruct, recreate" (12c.), from Latin reformare "to form again, change, transform, alter," from re- "again" (see re-) + formare "to form" (see form (n.)). Intransitive sense from 1580s.

Meaning "to bring (a person) away from an evil course of life" is recorded from early 15c.; of governments, institutions, etc., from early 15c. Related: Reformed; reforming. Reformed churches (1580s) usually are Calvinist as opposed to Lutheran. Reformed Judaism (1843) is a movement initiated in Germany by Moses Mendelssohn (1729-1786). Reform school is attested from 1859.

reform

"any proceeding which brings back a better order of things," 1660s, from reform (v.) and in some uses from French réforme. As a branch of Judaism from 1843.