mold1

[mohld] /moʊld/
noun
1.
a hollow form or matrix for giving a particular shape to something in a molten or plastic state.
2.
the shape created or imparted to a thing by a mold.
3.
something formed in or on a mold:
a mold of jelly.
4.
a frame on which something is formed or made.
5.
shape or form.
6.
a prototype, example, or precursor.
7.
a distinctive nature, character, or type:
a person of a simple mold.
8.
Shipbuilding.
  1. a three-dimensional pattern used to shape a plate after it has been softened by heating.
  2. a template for a frame.
9.
Architecture.
  1. a molding.
  2. a group of moldings.
verb (used with object)
10.
to work into a required shape or form; shape.
11.
to shape or form in or on a mold.
12.
Metallurgy. to form a mold of or from, in order to make a casting.
13.
to produce by or as if by shaping material; form.
14.
to have influence in determining or forming:
to mold the character of a child.
15.
to ornament with moldings.
Also, especially British, mould.
Origin
1175-1225; (noun) Middle English molde < Old French modle < Latin modulus module; (v.) Middle English, derivative of the noun
Related forms
moldable, adjective
moldability, noun

mold2

[mohld] /moʊld/
noun
1.
a growth of minute fungi forming on vegetable or animal matter, commonly as a downy or furry coating, and associated with decay or dampness.
2.
any of the fungi that produce such a growth.
verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
3.
to become or cause to become overgrown or covered with mold.
Also, especially British, mould.
Origin
1150-1200; late Middle English mowlde, apparently noun use of variant of earlier mowled, past participle of moulen, mawlen to grow moldy, cognate with dialectal Danish mugle

mold3

[mohld] /moʊld/
noun
1.
loose, friable earth, especially when rich in organic matter and favorable to the growth of plants.
2.
British Dialect. ground; earth.
Also, especially British, mould.
Origin
before 900; Middle English, Old English molde earth, dust, ground; cognate with Gothic mulda dust; akin to meal2, mill1
Examples from the web for mold
  • Walker, she began by using the prescribed curriculum to shape and mold us as her students.
  • Here the molten metal is poured or cast from the tilted furnace into a mold to form a billet.
  • The master is removed, and another material introduced, which is formed by the mold into a replica of the original shape.
  • mold feeds on organic materials and is brought to life by moisture.
  • mold is a sign of moisture problems, and mold can occur in any type of building.
  • The ants cultivate the fungus, turning it into a sooty mold that acts as living cement, reinforcing the structure of their traps.
  • Pour the custard mixture into the caramel-coated mold.
  • Aphids can cause honeydew, which drips disagreeably and encourages sooty mold.
  • There are few creatures more remarkable than the lowly slime mold.
  • To unmold, dip the gelatin mold in warm water for a minute, then invert onto a plate.
British Dictionary definitions for mold

mold

/məʊld/
noun, verb
1.
the US spelling of mould1

mould1

/məʊld/
noun
1.
a shaped cavity used to give a definite form to fluid or plastic material
2.
a frame on which something may be constructed
3.
something shaped in or made on a mould
4.
shape, form, design, or pattern
5.
specific nature, character, or type: heroic mould
verb (transitive)
6.
to make in a mould
7.
to shape or form, as by using a mould
8.
to influence or direct: to mould opinion
9.
to cling to: the skirt moulds her figure
10.
(metallurgy) to make (a material such as sand) into a mould that is used in casting
Derived Forms
mouldable, (US) moldable, adjective
mouldability, (US) moldability, noun
Word Origin
C13 (n): changed from Old French modle, from Latin modulus a small measure, module

mould2

/məʊld/
noun
1.
a coating or discoloration caused by various saprotrophic fungi that develop in a damp atmosphere on the surface of stored food, fabrics, wallpaper, etc
2.
any of the fungi that causes this growth
verb
3.
to become or cause to become covered with this growth
Also called mildew
Word Origin
C15: dialect (Northern English) mowlde mouldy, from the past participle of moulen to become mouldy, probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse mugla mould

mould3

/məʊld/
noun
1.
loose soil, esp when rich in organic matter
2.
(poetic) the earth
Word Origin
Old English molde; related to Old High German molta soil, Gothic mulde
Word Origin and History for mold
n.

also mould, "hollow shape," c.1200, originally "fashion, form; nature, native constitution, character," metathesized from Old French modle "model, plan, copy; way, manner" (12c., Modern French moule), from Latin modulum (nominative modulus) "measure, model," diminutive of modus "manner" (see mode (1)). From c.1300 as "pattern or model by which something is shaped or made." To break the mold "render impossible the creation of another" is from 1560s.

also mould, "furry fungus," early 15c., probably from moulde, past participle of moulen "to grow moldy" (early 13c.), related to Old Norse mygla "grow moldy," possibly from Proto-Germanic *(s)muk- indicating "wetness, slipperiness," from PIE *meug- (see mucus). Or it might have evolved from (or been influenced by) Old English molde "loose earth" (see mold (n.3)).

also mould, "loose earth," Old English molde "earth, sand, dust, soil; land, country, world," from Proto-Germanic *mulda (cf. Old Frisian molde "earth, soil," Old Norse mold "earth," Middle Dutch moude, Dutch moude, Old High German molta "dust, earth," Gothic mulda "dust"), from PIE root *mele- "to rub, grind" (see meal (n.2)). Specifically, since late (Christian) Old English, "the earth of the grave."

v.

also mould, mid-14c., "to mix, blend;" late 14c. "to knead, shape," from mold (n.1). Figurative sense (of character, etc.) is from c.1600. Related: Molded; molding.

mold in Medicine

mold 1 (mōld)
n.

  1. A shaped receptacle into which material is pressed or poured in making a cast.

  2. A frame around which something is formed or shaped.

  3. The shape of an artificial tooth or teeth.

v. mold·ed, mold·ing, molds

  1. To shape a mass of plastic material in or on a mold.

  2. To change in shape. Used especially of the adaptation of the fetal head to the pelvic canal.

mold'a·ble adj.

mold 2
n.
Any of various filamentous fungi, generally a circular colony having a woolly or furry appearance, that grow on the surface of organic matter and contribute to its disintegration.

mold in Science
mold
  (mōld)   
Any of various fungi that often form a fuzzy growth (called a mycelium) on the surface of organic matter. Some molds cause food to spoil, but others are beneficial, such as those used to make certain cheeses and those from which antibiotics like penicillin are developed. The molds do not form a distinct phylogenetic grouping but belong to various phyla including the ascomycetes and the zygomycetes. See also slime mold.
Idioms and Phrases with mold

mold

see: cast in the same mold