mold
UK[məʊld]US[moʊld]
n
a hollow container used to give shape to a soft or liquid substance when it cools or hardens
n
a soft, green, or grey growth that forms on old food or on objects that are left in warm, wet air
v
to shape a soft substance into a particular form or object by pressing it or by putting it into a mold
v
to influence the character or development of someone or something
Etymology
the word "mold" traces its lineage to the latin noun "modulus," meaning a small measure, standard, or model. this term entered old french as "moule," carrying the sense of a pattern or form for shaping. adopted into middle english, it initially referred to a pattern or a form for giving shape, which logically extended to the hollow container used in casting. the semantic branches diverged further: one path led to the meaning of a fungal growth, likely from the concept of something that forms or grows on a surface, while the other solidified the verb sense of shaping or influencing character, maintaining the core idea of imparting form from an original model.
Analysis
the modern english word "mold" is a simplex word derived from the old french "moule," which in turn came from the latin "modulus," meaning a small measure or standard. its journey into english did not involve the combination of distinct, separable morphemes in its current spelling.
Examples
the artist poured the molten glass into the clay mold.
a layer of mold had formed on the bread left in the damp pantry.
his early teachers helped to mold his interest in science.