mould
gb/mˈoʊld/ us/mˈoʊld/
B1
Anglais
~ 6700
Sens
0 sens
Nom
B1
entity
1
furry fungus on food or walls
A soft, often furry fungus that grows on old food or wet walls.
Schéma d’usage :
mould on [something]; [something] is covered in mould
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse "mould" with "mildew". Both are fungi, but "mildew" is usually used for a thin, whitish growth on walls, plants, or fabric, while "mould" can be any fuzzy growth on food or other damp surfaces. Another common issue is spelling: British English uses "mould" and American English uses "mold".
Synonymes
fungus (More general scientific term; not limited to visible growth on household surfaces or food.)
Antonymes
freshness (Fresh items, especially food, are not old or damp enough for mould to grow on them.)
Collocations
black mould
|green mould
|mould on the walls
|covered in mould
|traces of mould
|to clean off mould
Thèmes
home
|health
|food
|environment
|daily_life
|housing
Exemples
- There was black mould growing on the bathroom ceiling.
- Throw that bread away; it’s starting to get mould on it.
- The landlord finally dealt with the mould in the bedroom wall.
- You should not breathe in mould spores for a long time.
- She opened the container and found a layer of green mould on top of the soup.
Exemples pédagogiques
- There is mould on the cheese in the fridge.
- We cleaned the mould from the wall in the kitchen.
- This house is very damp, so mould grows quickly.
- He threw away the fruit because it had mould on it.
- Mould can make some people feel sick.
Nom
B1
entity
2
hollow container used to shape
A hollow form that you fill with a soft or liquid material so it becomes that shape when it is hard.
Schéma d’usage :
a mould for [material]; to pour [substance] into a mould
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse the noun "mould" (the tool) with the verb "to mould" (the action of shaping). Also, some learners use "model" instead of "mould"; a "model" is a finished example or copy, while a "mould" is the hollow form used to make copies.
Synonymes
form (General word for a tool or frame that shapes something; not always hollow like a mould.)
Antonymes
freehand (Doing or shaping something without using a fixed form or mould.)
Collocations
cake mould
|chocolate mould
|silicone mould
|ice cube mould
|plastic injection mould
|pour the mixture into the mould
Thèmes
cooking
|manufacturing
|crafts
|work
|technology
Exemples
- She poured the chocolate into a heart-shaped mould.
- The factory uses a metal mould to make thousands of identical parts.
- Let the jelly set in the mould for at least four hours.
- He pressed the clay into the mould to get a perfect copy.
- They designed a new plastic mould for the phone cases.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Pour the cake mix into the mould.
- We used a star mould to make the cookies.
- The company makes bottles using a special mould.
- The jelly will keep its shape when you take it out of the mould.
- He pushed the wet clay into the mould.
Verbe
B2
action
3
influence how someone develops
To shape how a person or thing grows and changes, especially their ideas or character.
Schéma d’usage :
to mould [someone/something]; to mould [someone] into [role/type]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use "make" instead of "mould" in this sense (e.g. *"make his character"*). "Make" is much more general. "Mould" suggests a slow, deep influence over time. Also, this sense is more common in written or formal spoken English than in casual conversation.
Synonymes
shape (Very common general verb; can be slightly less deliberate or active than "mould" in many contexts.)
Antonymes
neglect (If you neglect someone or something, you fail to guide or influence their development.)
Collocations
mould young minds
|mould a generation
|mould public opinion
|mould her into a leader
|mould his character
|mould the future of
Thèmes
education
|society
|people
|relationships
Exemples
- Teachers play a major role in moulding young minds.
- Her early experiences abroad helped to mould her political views.
- The coach tried to mould the team into a disciplined unit.
- The media can mould public opinion on important issues.
- His strict parents moulded him into a very cautious person.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Our parents often mould our ideas when we are children.
- The school wants to mould students into responsible adults.
- Travel can mould how you see the world.
- The company culture will mould how new workers act.
- His hard life moulded him into a strong man.
Verbe
B2
action
4
form soft material into shape
To make a shape from a soft material by pressing it or putting it in a form.
Schéma d’usage :
to mould [material] into [shape]; to mould [something] with [tool/hands]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes say *"mould a shape of"* instead of "mould [something] into a shape". The typical pattern is "mould [material] into [shape]".
Synonymes
shape (Very common, general verb; does not always suggest using a mould or very soft material.)
Antonymes
flatten (To press something so it loses shape or becomes flat, the opposite of giving it a formed shape.)
Collocations
mould the clay
|mould the dough
|mould it into a ball
|carefully moulded by hand
|mould wax into figures
|mould and carve
Thèmes
crafts
|manufacturing
|cooking
|work
|arts_entertainment
Exemples
- She moulded the clay into a small bowl.
- Wet your hands before you mould the rice into balls.
- The artist moulded a tiny bird from the soft wax.
- He moulded the snow into a perfect sphere.
- They mould the plastic while it is still hot and soft.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The children moulded animals from play dough.
- He moulded the sand into a castle.
- She moulded the bread dough into a long shape.
- We moulded the cheese into small balls.
- The potter moulded the wet clay with her hands.
Nom
C1
entity
5
typical style or character type
A usual type or style that people or things are made like, especially in their character or way of behaving.
Schéma d’usage :
in the same mould; in a different mould; cast in [the/a] mould
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may think this "mould" means a physical tool, but here it is figurative: it means a typical style or character type. It usually appears in fixed phrases like "in the same mould" or "cast in a different mould".
Synonymes
type (Very general word; "mould" suggests a fixed pattern people or things are shaped to fit.)
Antonymes
individuality (If someone shows individuality, they do not fit a standard mould.)
Collocations
in the same mould
|cast in the same mould
|cast in a different mould
|a heroic mould
|in the modern mould
|break the mould
Thèmes
people
|society
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Both brothers are very much in the same mould as their father.
- The new leader is cast in a different mould from his predecessors.
- She is not of the traditional academic mould.
- The film is in the classic Hollywood mould.
- We need politicians of a different mould in this country.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Her son is in the same mould as his father.
- The new boss is not in the usual corporate mould.
- This singer is in the old rock mould.
- He is a teacher of a very different mould.
- They want players in the modern athletic mould.
Verbe
B2
action
6
gradually take the shape of something
To slowly become the same shape as something because of pressure, heat, or use.
Schéma d’usage :
[something] moulds to [something]; [something] is moulded to [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes mix this with the active sense "mould [something]". Here, the thing changes shape by itself or because of use, often with the pattern "[something] moulds to [something]".
Synonymes
conform (More abstract and formal; "mould" here is concrete and physical, about shape.)
Antonymes
resist (If a material resists, it does not easily change or take on another shape.)
Collocations
moulds to your body
|moulds to your feet
|perfectly moulded to
|moulded to the shape of
|foam that moulds to
|moulds itself to
Thèmes
objects
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The memory foam mattress moulds to the shape of your body.
- These shoes will gradually mould to your feet.
- The metal was heated until it could be easily moulded to the curve of the roof.
- The seat is designed to mould itself to your back.
- Over time, the handle has moulded to the user's grip.
Exemples pédagogiques
- This pillow moulds to your head and neck.
- The soft plastic slowly moulds to the table edge.
- Your new shoes will mould to your feet after a few days.
- The seat is moulded to the shape of your body.
- The cushion moulds to you when you sit on it.
Nom
C1
entity
7
rich soil from decayed leaves
Soft, dark soil made from dead leaves and plants, good for growing things.
Schéma d’usage :
leaf mould; garden mould; mould for [plants]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may confuse this with the fungus meaning of "mould". In gardening, "leaf mould" means soil made from rotted leaves, not visible fuzzy fungus on food or walls.
Synonymes
humus (More technical gardening / soil science term; refers specifically to organic material in soil.)
Antonymes
poor soil (Soil low in organic matter and nutrients, the opposite of rich mould.)
Collocations
leaf mould
|rich garden mould
|a layer of mould
|add mould to the soil
|dark woodland mould
Thèmes
gardening
|nature
|housing
Exemples
- The plants grow best in rich leaf mould.
- He spread a layer of woodland mould over the flower beds.
- The forest floor was covered in soft, dark mould.
- Gardeners often make their own leaf mould from autumn leaves.
- This seedling needs a light, well-drained mould.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The flowers grow well in this rich mould.
- She put leaf mould on the garden beds.
- The forest floor is full of dark mould.
- We can make mould from old leaves.
- The gardener used mould to help the plants grow.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
mould
API
GB/mˈoʊld/
US/mˈoʊld/
Syllabes et accentuation
mould (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (mould)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: mould
- Plural: mould, moulds
Verb
- Base: mould
- 3rd Person Singular: moulds
- Present Participle: moulding
- Past: moulded
Famille de mots
Forms
moulds
noun
moulding
verb
moulded
verb
Core family
mouldy
adjective
Related words
mouldable
adjective
Expressions
break the mould
1/bɹˈeɪk ðə mˈoʊld/
idiom
do something in a new, different way
To do something in a way that is very different from the usual way or from what people expect.
Exemples
- Her new film really breaks the mould of romantic comedies.
- The school is trying to break the mould with a very flexible timetable.
- We need leaders who are willing to break the mould and try fresh ideas.
cast in a different mould
1/kˈæst ˈɪn ə dˈɪfɹənt mˈoʊld/
idiom
be clearly different in type
To be clearly different from other people or things, especially in character or style.
Exemples
- The new CEO is cast in a very different mould from his predecessor.
- This car is cast in a different mould from the brand’s older models.
- She is cast in a different mould to the other candidates: quieter but very determined.
cast in the same mould
1/kˈæst ˈɪn ðə sˈeɪm mˈoʊld/
idiom
be very similar in type
To be very similar to another person or thing in character, style, or way of behaving.
Exemples
- The two brothers are cast in the same mould.
- Most of the company’s products are cast in the same mould: cheap and simple.
- His latest book is cast in the same mould as his earlier work.
fit the mould
1/fˈɪt ðə mˈoʊld/
idiom
match the expected type or pattern
To be the kind of person or thing that people expect or want in a certain role or situation.
Exemples
- She doesn’t fit the typical mould of a politician.
- They’re looking for someone who fits the mould of a traditional manager.
- He never really fit the mould at that very formal company.