Etymology : Middle English, from Old English molde; akin to Old High German molta soil, Latin molere to grind; more at MEAL
Pronunciation : 'mOld
Function : noun
Date : before 12th century
1. pattern or form for giving a particular shape; something that has been molded; nature, character; decorative edging, patterned rim; fungal growth (also mould). fashion, shape; shape or form in a mold; become moldy, mildew; determine the nature of; ornament with molding, trim with edging; influence the character of (also mould). loose rich soil (also mould). leaf mold.
2. A spot; a blemish; a mole.
3. Crumbling, soft, friable earth; esp., earth containing the remains or constituents of organic matter, and suited to the growth of plants; soil.
4. Earthy material; the matter of which anything is formed; composing substance; material.
5. To cover with mold or soil.
6. A growth of minute fungi of various kinds, esp. those of the great groups Hyphomycetes, and Physomycetes, forming on damp or decaying organic matter.
7. To cause to become moldy; to cause mold to grow upon.
8. To become moldy; to be covered or filled, in whole or in part, with a mold.
9. The matrix, or cavity, in which anything is shaped, and from which it takes its form; also, the body or mass containing the cavity; as, a sand mold; a jelly mold.
10. That on which, or in accordance with which, anything is modeled or formed; anything which serves to regulate the size, form, etc., as the pattern or templet used by a shipbuilder, carpenter, or mason.
11. Cast; form; shape; character.
12. A group of moldings; as, the arch mold of a porch or doorway; the pier mold of a Gothic pier, meaning the whole profile, section, or combination of parts.
13. A fontanel.
14. A frame with a wire cloth bottom, on which the pump is drained to form a sheet, in making paper by hand.
15. To form into a particular shape; to shape; to model; to fashion.
16. To ornament by molding or carving the material of; as, a molded window jamb.
17. To knead; as, to mold dough or bread.
18. To form a mold of, as in sand, in which a casting may be made. container into which liquid is poured to create a given shape when it hardens sculpture produced by molding a fungus that produces a superficial growth on various kinds of damp or decaying organic matter loose soil rich in organic matter become moldy; spoil due to humidity; "The furniture molded in the old house" fit tightly, follow the contours of; "The dress molds her beautiful figure".
19. see:
mould. the American spelling of mould. Town (pop., 1995 est.: 9,000), historic and present county of Flintshire, northeastern Wales. Situated between the industrial centres of Deeside and Wrexham, it grew up around a motte-and-bailey castle built by the Normans in the 12th century. In the area native Briton Christians had defeated the pagan Picts and Scots in a battle waged in AD 430. Long a market hub, it is the administrative centre and historic county seat of Flintshire. In biology, a conspicuous mass of mycelium and fruiting structures produced by various fungi (division Mycota; see:
fungus). Molds of the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Rhizopus are associated with food spoilage and plant diseases, but some have beneficial uses, as in the manufacture of antibiotics (e.g., penicillin) and certain cheeses. Neurospora, or orange bread mold, has been invaluable in the study of biochemical genetics. Water molds live in fresh or brackish water or wet soils, absorbing dead or decaying organic matter. See also slime mold. In manufacturing, a cavity or surface in which a fluid or plastic substance is shaped into a desired finished product. A molten substance, such as metal or plastic, is poured or forced into a mold and allowed to harden. Molds are made of various materials, depending on the application; sand is frequently used for metal casting, hardened steel for molds for plastic materials, and plaster for various purposes. See also ingot, patternmaking, tool and die making.