inform

英文词源

inform

inform: [14] When English first acquired inform (via Old French enfourmer) it was used simply for ‘give form or shape to’. However, its Latin original, informāre (a compound verb based on forma ‘form’), had in classical times moved on from the primary notion of ‘shaping’ via ‘forming an idea of something’ and ‘describing it’ to ‘telling or instructing people about something’. English took this sense over too, and has persevered with it, but ‘give shape to’ was dropped in the 17th century.
=> form

inform (v.)

early 14c., "to train or instruct in some specific subject," from Old French informer "instruct, inform, teach," and directly from Latin informare "to shape, form," figuratively "train, instruct, educate," from in- "into" (see in- (2)) + formare "to form, shape," from forma "form" (see form (n.)). Varied with enform until c. 1600. Sense of "report facts or news" first recorded late 14c. Related: Informed; informing.