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formal

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formal

 

  5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Methylal  \Meth"yl*al\,  n.  [Methylene  +  alcohol.]  (Chem.) 
  A  light,  volatile  liquid,  {H2C(OCH3)2},  regarded  as  a  complex 
  ether,  and  having  a  pleasant  ethereal  odor.  It  is  obtained  by 
  the  partial  oxidation  of  methyl  alcohol.  Called  also 
  {formal}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Formal  \For"mal\  (f[^o]r"mal),  n.  [L.  formic  +  alcohol.]  (Chem.) 
  See  {Methylal}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Formal  \Form"al\  (f[^o]rm"al),  a.  [L.  formalis:  cf  F.  formel.] 
  1.  Belonging  to  the  form  shape,  frame,  external  appearance, 
  or  organization  of  a  thing 
 
  2.  Belonging  to  the  constitution  of  a  thing  as  distinguished 
  from  the  matter  composing  it  having  the  power  of  making  a 
  thing  what  it  is  constituent;  essential;  pertaining  to  or 
  depending  on  the  forms,  so  called  of  the  human  intellect. 
 
  Of  [the  sounds  represented  by]  letters,  the  material 
  part  is  breath  and  voice;  the  formal  is  constituted 
  by  the  motion  and  figure  of  the  organs  of  speech. 
  --Holder. 
 
  3.  Done  in  due  form  or  with  solemnity;  according  to  regular 
  method;  not  incidental,  sudden  or  irregular;  express;  as 
  he  gave  his  formal  consent. 
 
  His  obscure  funeral  .  .  .  No  noble  rite  nor  formal 
  ostentation.  --Shak. 
 
  4.  Devoted  to  or  done  in  accordance  with  forms  or  rules 
  punctilious;  regular;  orderly;  methodical;  of  a  prescribed 
  form  exact;  prim;  stiff;  ceremonious;  as  a  man  formal  in 
  his  dress,  his  gait,  his  conversation. 
 
  A  cold-looking,  formal  garden,  cut  into  angles  and 
  rhomboids.  --W.  Irwing. 
 
  She  took  off  the  formal  cap  that  confined  her  hair. 
  --Hawthorne. 
 
  5.  Having  the  form  or  appearance  without  the  substance  or 
  essence;  external;  as  formal  duty;  formal  worship;  formal 
  courtesy,  etc 
 
  6.  Dependent  in  form  conventional. 
 
  Still  in  constraint  your  suffering  sex  remains,  Or 
  bound  in  formal  or  in  real  chains.  --Pope. 
 
  7.  Sound;  normal.  [Obs.] 
 
  To  make  of  him  a  formal  man  again  --Shak. 
 
  {Formal  cause}.  See  under  {Cause}. 
 
  Syn:  Precise;  punctilious;  stiff;  starched;  affected;  ritual; 
  ceremonial;  external;  outward. 
 
  Usage:  {Formal},  {Ceremonious}.  When  applied  to  things  these 
  words  usually  denote  a  mere  accordance  with  the  rules 
  of  form  or  ceremony;  as  to  make  a  formal  call  to 
  take  a  ceremonious  leave  When  applied  to  a  person  or 
  his  manners,  they  are  used  in  a  bad  sense  a  person 
  being  called  formal  who  shapes  himself  too  much  by 
  some  pattern  or  set  form  and  ceremonious  when  he  lays 
  too  much  stress  on  the  conventional  laws  of  social 
  intercourse.  Formal  manners  render  a  man  stiff  or 
  ridiculous;  a  ceremonious  carriage  puts  a  stop  to  the 
  ease  and  freedom  of  social  intercourse. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  formal 
  adj  1:  being  in  accord  with  established  forms  and  conventions  and 
  requirements  (as  e.g.  of  formal  dress);  "pay  one's 
  formal  respects";  "formal  dress";  "a  formal  ball"; 
  "the  requirement  was  only  formal  and  often  ignored"; 
  "a  formal  education"  [ant:  {informal}] 
  2:  characteristic  of  or  befitting  a  person  in  authority; 
  "formal  duties";  "an  official  banquet" 
  3:  (of  spoken  and  written  language)  adhering  to  traditional 
  standards  of  correctness  and  without  casual,  contracted, 
  and  colloquial  forms;  "the  paper  was  written  in  formal 
  English"  [ant:  {informal}] 
  4:  (fine  arts)  represented  in  simplified  or  symbolic  form  [syn: 
  {conventional},  {schematic}] 
  5:  logically  deductive;  "formal  proof" 
  6:  refined  or  imposing  in  manner  or  appearance;  befitting  a 
  royal  court;  "a  courtly  gentleman"  [syn:  {courtly},  {elegant}, 
  {stately}] 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  FORMAL 
 
  1.  FORmula  MAnipulation  Language. 
 
  An  early  {Fortran}  extension  for  {symbolic  mathematics}. 
 
  ["FORMAL,  A  Formula  Manipulation  Language",  C.K.  Mesztenyi 
  Computer  Note  CN-1,  CS  Dept,  U  Maryland  (Jan  1971)]. 
 
  2.  A  data  manipulation  language  for  nonprogrammers  from  {IBM} 
  {LASC}. 
 
  ["FORMAL:  A  Forms-Oriented  and  Visual-Directed  Application 
  System",  N.C.  Shu,  IEEE  Computer  18(8):38-49  (1985)]. 
 
  (1994-12-06)




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