mould
furry fungus on food or walls
A soft, often furry fungus that grows on old food or wet walls.
mould on [something]; [something] is covered in mould
- 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.
- 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.
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.
a mould for [material]; to pour [substance] into a mould
- 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.
- 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.
influence how someone develops
To shape how a person or thing grows and changes, especially their ideas or character.
to mould [someone/something]; to mould [someone] into [role/type]
- 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.
- 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.
form soft material into shape
To make a shape from a soft material by pressing it or putting it in a form.
to mould [material] into [shape]; to mould [something] with [tool/hands]
- 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.
- 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.
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.
in the same mould; in a different mould; cast in [the/a] mould
- 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.
- 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.
gradually take the shape of something
To slowly become the same shape as something because of pressure, heat, or use.
[something] moulds to [something]; [something] is moulded to [something]
- 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.
- 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.
rich soil from decayed leaves
Soft, dark soil made from dead leaves and plants, good for growing things.
leaf mould; garden mould; mould for [plants]
- 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.
- 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.
- Base: mould
- Plural: mould, moulds
- Base: mould
- 3rd Person Singular: moulds
- Present Participle: moulding
- Past: moulded
break the mould
1do 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.
- 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
1be clearly different in type
To be clearly different from other people or things, especially in character or style.
- 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
1be very similar in type
To be very similar to another person or thing in character, style, or way of behaving.
- 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
1match the expected type or pattern
To be the kind of person or thing that people expect or want in a certain role or situation.
- 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.