inform1

[in-fawrm] /ɪnˈfɔrm/
verb (used with object)
1.
to give or impart knowledge of a fact or circumstance to:
He informed them of his arrival.
2.
to supply (oneself) with knowledge of a matter or subject:
She informed herself of all the pertinent facts.
3.
to give evident substance, character, or distinction to; pervade or permeate with manifest effect:
A love of nature informed his writing.
4.
to animate or inspire.
5.
Obsolete.
  1. to train or instruct.
  2. to make known; disclose.
  3. to give or impart form to.
verb (used without object)
6.
to give information; supply knowledge or enlightenment:
a magazine that entertains more than it informs.
Verb phrases
7.
inform on, to furnish incriminating evidence about (someone) to an authority, prosecuting officer, etc.:
He informed on his accomplices.
Origin
1275-1325; Middle English informen < Latin infōrmāre to form, shape, equivalent to in- in-2 + fōrmāre to form; replacing Middle English enfourmen < Middle French enfourmer < Latin, as above
Related forms
informable, adjective
informingly, adverb
half-informing, adjective
half-informingly, adverb
uninforming, adjective
Synonyms
1. apprise; notify, advise, tell. 2. acquaint.

inform2

[in-fawrm] /ɪnˈfɔrm/
adjective, Obsolete
1.
without form; formless.
Origin
1545-55; < Latin informis formless, deformed, equivalent to in- in-3 + -formis -form
Examples from the web for inform
  • Education is the foremost conveyance of knowledge to help rebuff where appropriate and inform where necessary.
  • He set the trajectory, leaning forward and laying his trunk on the ground-as if gathering information to inform his decision.
  • inform students that they will not need to go in-depth on any one article, but will simply glean as much information as possible.
  • We regret to inform you your poetry did not catch our ear.
  • The college asks that students inform the instructor within.
  • Stay and continue to inform and raise consciousness.
  • Further discoveries will inform our still-growing understanding of how these flying reptiles reproduced.
  • At present, private universities are not bound to inform the regulator about their establishment and operations.
  • Cultural shifts in politics, as well as economic ones, inform the argument.
  • inform students that both sides felt so threatened by the other's beliefs that they prepared for war.
British Dictionary definitions for inform

inform1

/ɪnˈfɔːm/
verb
1.
(transitive; often foll by of or about) to give information to; tell
2.
(transitive; often foll by of or about) to make conversant (with)
3.
(intransitive; 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.
(transitive) to animate or inspire
7.
(transitive) (obsolete)
  1. to train or educate
  2. to report
Derived Forms
informable, adjective
informedly (ɪnˈfɔːmɪdlɪ) adverb
informingly, adverb
Word Origin
C14: from Latin informāre to give form to, describe, from formāre to form

inform2

/ɪnˈfɔːm/
adjective
1.
(archaic) without shape; unformed
Word Origin
C16: from Latin informis from in-1 + forma shape
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.