Formed

ppl. a. [f. FORM v. + -ED¹.]

  1.  In senses of the vb.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 172/1. Foormyd, formatus.

1611.  Bible, Wisd. x. 1. She preserued the first formed father of the world that was created alone, and brought him out of his fall.

1669.  Woodhead, St. Teresa, I. Pref. 24. Without any formed words, Exterior or Interior.

1692.  Ray, Dissol. World, II. iii. (1732), 123. It is not yet agreed among the Learned, whether these Bodies, formerly called petrified Shells, but now-a-days passing by the Name of formed Stones, be original Productions of Nature, formed in Imitation of the Shells of Fishes; or the real Shells themselves, either remaining still entire and uncorrupt, or petrified and turned into Stone, or, at least, Stones cast in some Animal Mold.

1717.  trans. Frezier’s Voy. S. Sea, 119. I have often seen the same on one Apple-tree, which we here see in Orange-Trees, that is, Fruit of all different Ages or Growths, in Blossom, knotted, form’d Apples, half green, and quite ripe, all together.

1796–7.  Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1813), 187. The formed part of the regiments, whether advancing or retiring, continues to move on at the ordinary pace, and in proportion as the obstacles increase or diminish, will the formed, or column, parts of the line increase or diminish.

1871.  Freeman, Hist. Ess., Ser. I. vii. 173. The arrogance of modern Paris talks indeed of the ‘bad French’ of Aquitaine and Provence. In its ignorant pride, it can see only a patois of itself in a tongue which is as distinct as that of Spain or Italy, and which was a formed and polished speech, the speech of the refined courts of Poitiers and Toulouse, while Northern France had still only an unformed and unwritten jargon.

  2.  esp. † a. Drawn up according to rule; formal, set. b. That has obtained distinct development or formulation; decided, definite, settled. c. Perfected by training or discipline; matured.

  a.  1647.  Clarendon, Hist. Reb., III. § 3. M^r Pym, in a long, form’d discourse, lamented the miserable state and condition of the Kingdom.

1725.  trans. Dupin’s Eccl. Hist. 17th C., I. v. 68. In the First he treats of the canonical or form’d Epistles. Ibid., 69. Gerard Rodolphus … whose Book of Canonical, Form’d … and Dimissory Letters were printed at Cologne in 1582.

  b.  1605.  Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. iv. § 12. 23. Besides the which there are some other rather peccant humours, then fourmed diseasses.

1676–7.  Marvell, Corr., cclxxii. Wks. 1872–5, II. 506. It tooke not so much place as to come to a formed question, the furthest it went being to petition his Majesty, that by reason of some doubts arisen of this, he would be pleased to call another Parliament.

1681–6.  J. Scott, Chr. Life (1747), III. 386. Government is Essential to formed and regular Societies.

1771.  Mackenzie, Man of Feeling, xl. (1803), 90. Though he had no formed complaint, his health was manifestly on the decline.

1818.  Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. V. viii. 659. With great caution should men in power receive from their agents reports by which their known wishes are flattered; because the proportion of observers is lamentably small, who, in such cases, will not deceive themselves, and without any formed intention of mendacity, yet from the very lust of pleasing the men on whose favour or disfavour their prosperity or adversity depends, give them reports which will deceive them.

  c.  1833.  Regul. Instr. Cavalry, I. 83. The formed horse must be rode on the bit entirely.

1834.  J. H. Newman, Par. Serm. (1837), I. xv. 276. They begin religion at the very end of it, and make those observances and rules the chief means of pleasing Him, which in fact should be but the spontaneous acts of the formed Christian temper.

1865.  M. Arnold, Ess. Crit., viii. (1875), 326. An effect not only upon the young and enthusiastic, to whom the future belongs, but upon formed and important personages to whom the present belongs, and who are actually moving society.

  † d.  Formed bachelor (= med.L. baccalaureus formatus), a bachelor who has performed the whole of his ‘forma’: see FORM sb. 11 c.

  This was the highest stage in the degree of B.D. in mediæval universities, the earlier stages being those of cursor or biblicus, and sententiarius.

1727–41.  Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Bachelor, At present, formed bachelor denotes a person who has taken the degree regularly, after the due course of study and exercies, required by the statutes; by way of opposition to a currant bachelor who is admitted in the way of grace, or by diploma.

  3.  Her. = FORMÉ, -ÉE, PATTÉE.

1592.  Wyrley, Armorie, 111.