serving to distinguish or identify a species or group; "the distinguishing mark of the species is its plumage"; "distinctive tribal tattoos"; "we were asked to describe any identifying marks or distinguishing features"
a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary or artistic work; "it was the usual `boy gets girl' theme"
(music) melodic subject of a musical composition; "the theme is announced in the first measures"; "the accompanist picked up the idea and elaborated it"
provide with a particular theme or motive; "the restaurant often themes its menus"
a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts; "the structure consisted of a series of arches"; "she wore her hair in an amazing construction of whirls and ribbons"
the manner of construction of something and the arrangement of its parts; "artists must study the structure of the human body"; "the structure of the benzene molecule"
a particular complex anatomical part; "he has good bone structure"
the complex composition of knowledge as elements and their combinations; "his lectures have no structure"
give a structure to; "I need to structure my days"
a mold for setting concrete; "they built elaborate forms for pouring the foundation"
the visual appearance of something or someone; "the delicate cast of his features"
a particular mode in which something is manifested; "his resentment took the form of extreme hostility"
an ability to perform well; "he was at the top of his form"; "the team was off form last night"
a perceptual structure; "the composition presents problems for students of musical form"; "a visual pattern must include not only objects but the spaces between them"
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something; "the inflected forms of a word can be represented by a stem and a list of inflections to be attached"
a printed document with spaces in which to write; "he filled out his tax form"
an arrangement of the elements in a composition or discourse; "the essay was in the form of a dialogue"; "he first sketches the plot in outline form"
(biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups; "a new strain of microorganisms"
assume a form or shape; "the water formed little beads"
create (as an entity); "social groups form everywhere"; "They formed a company"
to compose or represent:"This wall forms the background of the stage setting"; "The branches made a roof"; "This makes a fine introduction"
develop into a distinctive entity; "our plans began to take shape"
generally approved or compelling recognition; "several accepted techniques for treating the condition"; "his recognized superiority in this kind of work"
generally agreed upon; not subject to dispute; "the accepted interpretation of the poem"; "an accepted theory"; "the undisputed fact"
widely accepted as true or worthy; "the accepted wisdom about old age"; "a received moral idea"; "Received political wisdom says not; surveys show otherwise"- Economist
widely or permanently accepted; "an accepted precedent"
generally accepted or used; "accepted methods of harmony and melody"; "three accepted types of pump"
the Hindu or Buddhist doctrine that person may be reborn successively into one of five classes of living beings (god or human or animal or hungry ghost or denizen of hell) depending on the person's own actions
a second or new birth
embodiment in a new form (especially the reappearance or a person in another form); "his reincarnation as a lion"