shaper

shape

S0318400 (shāp)n.1. a. The characteristic surface configuration of a thing; an outline or contour: a lake in the shape of an hourglass. See Synonyms at form.b. Spatial form, contour, or appearance: The sandy coastline is always changing shape.2. a. The body or outward appearance of a person or an animal: saw two shapes walking toward her in the night.b. The contour of a person's body; the figure: a swimmer with a slender shape.3. a. A definite or distinctive form: Our discussion acquired the shape of an argument.b. Form, condition, or embodiment: How is your research project taking shape?c. A desirable form: a fabric that holds its shape.4. a. Assumed or false appearance; guise: a god in the shape of a swan.b. A ghostly form; a phantom: Shapes appeared in his bedroom at night.5. Something, such as a mold or pattern, used to give or determine form.6. a. The condition of something with regard to effectiveness, use, or appearance: What kind of shape is your car in?b. Bodily condition, as in regard to muscle tone or endurance: She's in great shape after working out for six months.tr.v. shaped, shap·ing, shapes 1. To create or fashion, as:a. To give a particular form to (a material): shape the dough into baguettes.b. To create or configure, as from a material: a sculpture that was shaped out of ice.2. To cause to conform to a particular form: a pool that is shaped like an hourglass; a bone that is shaped to bear weight.3. a. To plan or devise: shape a new educational program.b. To embody in a definite form: shaped a folk tale into an opera.4. a. To influence in a formative way: experiences that shaped his identity.b. To direct the course of: "He shaped history as well as being shaped by it" (Robert J. Samuelson).Phrasal Verbs: shape into To develop into a particular form or condition: This is shaping into one of the biggest scandals of the century. shape up1. To turn out; develop: This ski season is shaping up to be the best in years.2. To improve one's performance or behavior so as to meet a standard: Either shape up or ship out.

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[Middle English, from Old English gesceap, a creation.]

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shap′a·ble, shape′a·ble adj.shaped adj.shap′er n.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	shaper - a person who makes things makercreator - a person who grows or makes or invents thingsbasketmaker, basketweaver - someone skilled in weaving basketsbelt maker - a maker of beltsbookmaker - a maker of books; someone who edits or publishes or binds booksbeer maker, brewer - someone who brews beer or ale from malt and hops and waterchandler - a maker (and seller) of candles and soap and oils and paintscobbler, shoemaker - a person who makes or repairs shoescandymaker, confectioner - someone who makes candies and other sweetsauthor, generator, source - someone who originates or causes or initiates something; "he was the generator of several complaints"glassmaker - someone who makes glasshatmaker, hatter, milliner, modiste - someone who makes and sells hatsironworker - a person who makes articles of ironjeweler, jeweller, jewelry maker - someone who makes jewelrymaltman, maltster - a maker of maltproducer, manufacturer - someone who manufactures somethingneedleworker - someone who does work (as sewing or embroidery) with a needlepatternmaker - someone who makes patterns (as for sewing or carpentry or metalworking)perfumer - a person who makes (and sells) perfumespiano maker - a person who makes pianossaddler - a maker and repairer and seller of equipment for horsessailmaker - a maker of sailsshirtmaker - a maker of shirtsspinner, thread maker, spinster - someone who spins (who twists fibers into threads)steelmaker, steelman, steelworker - a worker engaged in making steeltentmaker - someone who makes or repairs tentstoolmaker - someone skilled in making or repairing toolswine maker, winemaker, vintner - someone who makes wineviolin maker - someone who makes violinshorologer, horologist, watchmaker - someone who makes or repairs watcheswigmaker - someone who makes and sells wigs
	2.	shaper - a machine tool for shaping metal or woodshaping machinelathe - machine tool for shaping metal or wood; the workpiece turns about a horizontal axis against a fixed toolmachine tool - a powered machine for cutting or shaping or finishing metals or other materialsmilling machine, miller - machine tool in which metal that is secured to a carriage is fed against rotating cutters that shape it