reshape

Everyday

1. To change the shape of something. tree →
2. To change the way something is organised or how it works, often in a big way. tree →

In the lessons

In art and design lessons, you reshape clay or a model. In maths, you can reshape a shape by cutting and moving parts: the area stays the same even if the shape changes. In history and the news, inventions or wars "reshape the world". Phrases: reshape the future, reshape a city, reshaped by.

Examples

• She reshaped the clay into a bowl. tree →
• The internet has reshaped how we learn. tree →
• If you reshape a rectangle into a triangle by cutting it, the area stays the same. tree →
• The storm reshaped the beach. tree →
• The new coach reshaped the team. tree →
• The river has reshaped the valley over thousands of years. tree →

Note

Past form: reshaped. re- + shape. In maths: cutting and rearranging pieces reshapes a figure but keeps the same area (perimeter may change).