To put into a new and improved form or condition; to restore to a former good state, or bring from bad to good; to change from worse to better; to amend; to correct; as, to reform a profligate man; to reform corrupt manners or morals. [1913 Webster]

"The example alone of a vicious prince will corrupt an age; but that of a good one will not reform it." [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To amend; correct; emend; rectify; mend; repair; better; improve; restore; reclaim.

reform, v. i.

To return to a good state; to amend or correct one's own character or habits; as, a man of settled habits of vice will seldom reform. [1913 Webster]

reform, n. [F. réforme.].

Amendment of what is defective, vicious, corrupt, or depraved; reformation; as, reform of elections; reform of government. [1913 Webster]

Civil service reform. See under Civil. -- Reform acts (Eng. Politics), acts of Parliament passed in 1832, 1867, 1884, 1885, extending and equalizing popular representation in Parliament. -- Reform school, a school established by a state or city government, for the confinement, instruction, and reformation of juvenile offenders, and of young persons of idle, vicious, and vagrant habits. [U. S.]

Syn. -- Reformation; amendment; rectification; correction. See Reformation.

top

OXFORD DICTIONARY

reform, v. & n.
--v.
1 tr. & intr. make or become better by the removal of faults and errors.
2 tr. abolish or cure (an abuse or malpractice).
3 tr. US correct (a legal document).
4 tr. Chem. convert (a straight-chain hydrocarbon) by catalytic reaction to a branched-chain form for use as petrol.
--n.
1 the removal of faults or abuses, esp. of a moral or political or social kind.
2 an improvement made or suggested.

Idiom

Reformed Church a Church that has accepted the principles of the Reformation, esp. a Calvinist Church (as distinct from Lutheran). Reform Judaism a simplified and rationalized form of Judaism. reform school an institution to which young offenders are sent to be reformed.

Derivative

reformable adj.

Etymology

ME f. OF reformer or L reformare (as RE-, FORM)

top

DEVIL DICTIONARY

reform

v. A thing that mostly satisfies reformers opposed to reformation.

top

THESAURUS

reform

Fabianism, about-face, accommodate, accommodation, acculturate, adapt, adaptation, adjust, adjustment, advance, alter, alteration, ameliorate, amelioration, amend, amendment, apologize, apostasy, beg pardon, better, betterment, bleach, boost, bowdlerize, break, break up, bring forward, change, change of allegiance, change of heart, change of mind, changeableness, civilize, clean, clean out, clean up, cleanse, clear out, constructive change, continuity, conversion, convert, correct, correction, defection, deform, degeneration, degenerative change, delouse, denature, depurate, deterge, deterioration, deviation, difference, discontinuity, divergence, diversification, diversify, diversion, diversity, do penance, dry-clean, dust, dust off, edify, educate, elevate, emend, emendation, enhance, enlighten, enrich, expurgate, extremism, fatten, favor, fit, fitting, fix, flip-flop, forward, foster, freshen, give back, give salvation, go straight, gradual change, gradualism, improve, improve upon, improvement, lard, lift, lustrate, make an improvement, meliorate, melioration, meliorism, mend, mitigate, mitigation, modification, modify, modulate, modulation, mutate, new birth, new-model, nurture, overthrow, place in, plead guilty, progressivism, promote, purge, purify, put back, qualification, qualify, radical change, radical reform, radicalism, raise, re-create, re-creation, re-form, reactivate, realign, realignment, rebirth, rebuild, reclaim, reclamation, reconstitute, reconstruct, reconvert, recover, recovery, recrudescence, recruit, rectification, rectify, redeem, redemption, redesign, redo, reenact, reestablish, refashion, refill, refine upon, refit, reformation, reformism, regenerate, regeneration, rehabilitate, rehabilitation, reinstall, reinstate, reinstitute, reintegrate, reinvest, remake, remaking, remedy, remodel, renascence, renew, renewal, renovate, renovation, reorganization, reorganize, repair, repent, replace, replenish, reshape, reshaping, restore, restore self-respect, restructure, restructuring, return, revamp, reversal, revest, revise, revisionism, revival, revive, revivification, revolution, revolutionize, ring the changes, save, scavenge, set straight, shift, shift the scene, shuffle the cards, socialize, spruce, steam-clean, straighten out, subvert, sudden change, sweep out, sweeten, switch, think better of, tidy, total change, transfigure, transform, transformation, transition, turn, turn the scale, turn the tables, turn the tide, turn upside down, turnabout, upgrade, upheaval, uplift, utopianism, variation, variety, vary, violent change, whiten, wipe, wipe off, wipe out, wipe up, work a change, worsen, worsening

top

ROGET THESAURUS

reform

Improvement

N improvement, amelioration, melioration, betterment, mend, amendment, emendation, mending, advancement, advance, ascent, promotion, preferment, elevation, increase, cultivation, civilization, culture, march of intellect, menticulture, race-culture, eugenics, reform, reformation, revision, radical reform, second thoughts, correction, limoe labor, refinement, elaboration, purification, oxidation, repair, recovery, revise, new edition, reformer, radical, improving, progressive, improved, better, better off, better for, all the better for, better advised, reformatory, emendatory, reparatory, remedial, corrigible, improvable, accultural, on consideration, on reconsideration, on second thoughts, on better advice, ad melius inquirendum, urbent latericiam invenit marmoream reliquit.

VB improve, be better, become better, get better, mend, amend, advance, ascend, increase, fructify, ripen, mature, pick up, come about, rally, take a favorable turn, turn over a new leaf, turn the corner, raise one's head, sow one's wild oats, recover, be better, be improved by, turn to right account, turn to good account, turn to best account, profit by, reap the benefit of, make good use of, make capital out of, place to good account, render better, improve, mend, amend, better, ameliorate, meliorate, correct, decrassify, improve upon, refine upon, rectify, enrich, mellow, elaborate, fatten, promote, cultivate, advance, forward, enhance, bring forward, bring on, foster, invigorate, touch up, rub up, brush up, furbish up, bolster up, vamp up, brighten up, warm up, polish, cook, make the most of, set off to advantage, prune, repair, put in order, review, revise, make corrections, make improvements, doctor, purify, relieve, refresh, infuse new blood into, recruit, reform, remodel, reorganize, new model, view in a new light, think better of, appeal from Philip drunk to Philip sober, palliate, mitigate, lessen an evil.

Conversion

VB be converted into, become, get, wax, come to, turn to, turn into, evolve into, develop into, turn out, lapse, shift, run into, fall into, pass into, slide into, glide into, grow into, ripen into, open into, resolve itself into, settle into, merge into, emerge as, melt, grow, come round to, mature, mellow, assume the form of, assume the shape of, assume the state of, assume the nature of, assume the character of, illapse, begin a new phase, assume a new phase, undergo a change, convert into, resolve into, make, render, mold, form, remodel, new model, refound, reform, reorganize, assimilate to, bring to, reduce to.

Also see definition of "reform" in Bible Study Dictionaries

For further exploring for "reform" in Webster Dictionary Online