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Shape vs Distort - What's the difference?

shape | distort |

In lang=en terms the difference between shape and distort

is that shape is to give something a shape and definition while distort is to give a false or misleading account of.

In obsolete|lang=en terms the difference between shape and distort

is that shape is (obsolete) to imagine; to conceive while distort is (obsolete) distorted; misshapen.

As verbs the difference between shape and distort

is that shape is to give something a shape and definition while distort is to bring something out of shape.

As a noun shape

is the status or condition of something.

As an adjective distort is

(obsolete) distorted; misshapen.

shape

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • The status or condition of something
    • The used bookshop wouldn't offer much due to the poor shape of the book.
  • Condition of personal health, especially muscular health.
    • The vet checked to see what kind of shape the animal was in.
    We exercise to keep in good physical shape .
  • The appearance of something, especially its outline.
    • He cut a square shape out of the cake.
  • A figure with unspecified appearance; especially a geometric figure.
    • What shape shall we use for the cookies? Stars, circles, or diamonds?
  • Form; formation.
  • * 2006 , Berdj Kenadjian, Martin Zakarian, From Darkness to Light :
    • What if God's plans and actions do mold the shape of human events?
  • (iron manufacture) A rolled or hammered piece, such as a bar, beam, angle iron, etc., having a cross section different from merchant bar.
  • (iron manufacture) A piece which has been roughly forged nearly to the form it will receive when completely forged or fitted.
  • A mould for making jelly, blancmange etc., or a piece of such food formed moulded into a particular shape.
  • *1918 , (Rebecca West), The Return of the Soldier , Virago 2014, p. 74:
  • *:‘And if I'm late for supper there's a dish of macaroni cheese you must put in the oven and a tin of tomatoes to eat with it. And there's a little rhubarb and shape .’

    • Hyponyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * contest shape * * in no shape to * * in shape * out of shape * shapeless * shapely * shapesmith * shape-shifter * shape-shifting * shipshape * take shape * the shape of things to come * whip into shape

    See also

    *

    Verb

  • To give something a shape and definition.
  • * 1932 , The American Scholar , page 227, United Chapters of Phi Beta Kappa
    • The professor never pretended to the academic prerogative of forcing his students into his own channels of reasoning; he entered into and helped shape the discussion but above all he made his men learn to think for themselves and rely upon their own intellectual judgments.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-03, volume=408, issue=8847, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= Revenge of the nerds , passage=Think of banking today and the image is of grey-suited men in towering skyscrapers. Its future, however, is being shaped in converted warehouses and funky offices in San Francisco, New York and London, where bright young things in jeans and T-shirts huddle around laptops, sipping lattes or munching on free food.}}
  • To form or manipulate something into a certain shape.
  • * Prior
    • Grace shaped her limbs, and beauty decked her face.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2010, date=December 29, author=Mark Vesty, work=BBC
    • , title= Wigan 2-2 Arsenal , passage=Bendtner's goal-bound shot was well saved by goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi but fell to Arsahvin on the edge of the area and the Russian swivelled, shaped his body and angled a sumptuous volley into the corner. }}
  • (of a country, person, etc) To give influence to.
  • To suit; to be adjusted or conformable.
    • (Shakespeare)
  • (obsolete) To imagine; to conceive.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Oft my jealousy / Shapes faults that are not.

    Synonyms

    * (give shape) form, mold

    Derived terms

    * beshape * foreshape * forshape * misshape * overshape * shape up

    Anagrams

    * * * 1000 English basic words

    distort

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To bring something out of shape.
  • (ergative) To become misshapen.
  • To give a false or misleading account of
    • In their articles, journalists sometimes distort the truth.

    Related terms

    * distorted (pos a) * distortion

    Derived terms

    * distorter

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) distorted; misshapen
  • * Spenser
    • Her face was ugly and her mouth distort .