Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Reform"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Reform \Re*form"\, v. i.
To return to a good state; to amend or correct one's own
character or habits; as, a man of settled habits of vice will
seldom reform.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Reform \Re*form"\, n. [F. r['e]forme.]
Amendment of what is defective, vicious, corrupt, or
depraved; reformation; as, reform of elections; reform of
government.
{Civil service reform}. See under {Civil}.
{Reform acts} (Eng. Politics), acts of Parliament passed in
1832, 1867, 1884, 1885, extending and equalizing popular
representation in Parliament.
{Reform school}, a school established by a state or city
government, for the confinement, instruction, and
reformation of juvenile offenders, and of young persons of
idle, vicious, and vagrant habits. [U. S.]
Syn: Reformation; amendment; rectification; correction. See
{Reformation}.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Re-form \Re-form"\ (r?*f?rm"), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p.
{Re-formed} (-f?rmd"); p. pr. & vb. n. {Re-forming}.]
To give a new form to; to form anew; to take form again, or
to take a new form; as, to re-form the line after a charge.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Reform \Re*form"\ (r?*f?rm"), v. t. [F. r['e]former, L.
reformare; pref. re- re- + formare to form, from forma form.
See {Form}.]
To put into a new and improved form or condition; to restore
to a former good state, or bring from bad to good; to change
from worse to better; to amend; to correct; as, to reform a
profligate man; to reform corrupt manners or morals.
The example alone of a vicious prince will corrupt an
age; but that of a good one will not reform it.
--Swift.
Syn: To amend; correct; emend; rectify; mend; repair; better;
improve; restore; reclaim.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
reform
n 1: a change for the better as a result of correcting abuses;
"justice was for sale before the reform of the law
courts"
2: a campaign aimed to correct abuses or malpractices; "the
reforms he proposed were too radical for the politicians"
3: self-improvement in behavior or morals by abandoning some
vice; "the family rejoiced in the drunkard's reform"
v 1: make reforms in; change for the better; "reform a political
system"
2: subject to spiritual regeneration [syn: {regenerate}]
3: produce by cracking; "reform gas"
4: break up the molecules of ("reform oil")
5: change for the better; "The lazy student promised to
reform"; "the habitual cheater finally saw the light"
[syn: {straighten out}, {see the light}]
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