mould

mould¹ BrE mold AmE [məuld US mould] n

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1¦(shaped container)¦

2¦(type of person)¦

3 break the mould

4¦(growing substance)¦

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1.) ¦(SHAPED CONTAINER)¦

a hollow container that you pour a liquid or soft substance into, so that when it becomes solid, it takes the shape of the container

▪ Another method, used especially for figures, was to pour the clay into a mould.

▪ lime jell-o in a mould

2.) ¦(TYPE OF PERSON)¦ [singular]

if someone is in a particular mould, or fits into a particular mould, they have all the attitudes and qualities typical of a type of person

fit (into) a mould

▪ She didn't quite fit into the standard 'high-flying businesswoman' mould.

in the same mould (as sb/sth)/in the mould of sb/sth

▪ a socialist intellectual in the mould of Anthony Crossland

3.) break the mould

to change a situation completely, by doing something that has not been done before

▪ an attempt to break the mould of British politics

4.) ¦(GROWING SUBSTANCE)¦[U]

a soft green, grey, or black substance that grows on food which has been kept too long, and on objects that are in warm, wet air

▪ The chemical was used to kill a mold that grows on peanuts.

▪ The walls were black with mould.

→↑leaf mould

mould ²

mould² v BrE mold AmE

1.) [T]

to shape a soft substance by pressing or rolling it or by putting it into a mould

mould sth into sth

▪ Mould the sausage meat into little balls.

▪ moulded plastic chairs

2.) [T]

to influence the way someone's character or attitudes develop

mould sth/sb into sth

▪ I try to take young athletes and mold them into team players.

▪ an attempt to mold public opinion

3.) [I and T]

to fit closely to the shape of something, or to make something fit closely

mould (sth) to sth

▪ The lining of the boot molds itself to the shape of your foot.

▪ Her wet dress was moulded to her body.