Link Centre Dictionary

reform

re·form

UK/ɹɪˈfɔːm/ US/ɹɪˈfɔɹm/ fairly common uk
noun (3) verb (6)

noun

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”

verb

1.

make changes for improvement in order to remove abuse and injustices

  • “reform a political system”
2.

bring, lead, or force to abandon a wrong or evil course of life, conduct, and adopt a right one

  • “The Church reformed me”
  • “reform your conduct”
Synonyms
3.

produce by cracking

  • “reform gas”
4.

break up the molecules of

  • “reform oil”
5.

improve by alteration or correction of errors or defects and put into a better condition

  • “reform the health system in this country”
6.

change for the better

  • “The lazy student promised to reform”
  • “the habitual cheater finally saw the light”
Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English reformen, from Old French reformer, from Latin reformo, reformare. As a noun since 1660s, from French réforme.

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.