Part 301

That which formally makes this [charity] a Christian grace, is the spring from which it flows.

Smalridge.

You and your followers do stand formally divided against the authorized guides of the church and rest of the people.

Hooker.

For"mate (?), n. [See Formic.] (Chem.) A salt of formic acid. [Written also formiate.]

For*ma"tion (fr*m"shn), n. [L. formatio: cf. F. formation.] 1. The act of giving form or shape to anything; a forming; a shaping. Beattie.

2. The manner in which a thing is formed; structure; construction; conformation; form; as, the peculiar formation of the heart.

3. A substance formed or deposited.

4. (Geol.) (a) Mineral deposits and rock masses designated with reference to their origin; as, the siliceous formation about geysers; alluvial formations; marine formations. (b) A group of beds of the same age or period; as, the Eocene formation.

5. (Mil.) The arrangement of a body of troops, as in a square, column, etc. Farrow.

Form"a*tive (?), a. [Cf. F. formatif.] 1. Giving form; having the power of giving form; plastic; as, the formative arts.

The meanest plant can not be raised without seed, by any formative residing in the soil.

Bentley.

2. (Gram.) Serving to form; derivative; not radical; as, a termination merely formative.

3. (Biol.) Capable of growth and development; germinal; as, living or formative matter.

Form"a*tive, n. (Gram.) (a) That which serves merely to give form, and is no part of the radical, as the prefix or the termination of a word. (b) A word formed in accordance with some rule or usage, as from a root.

For`mÈ" (?), a. (Her.) Same as PatÈ or PattÈ.

For"me (?), a. [OE., fr. AS. forma. See Foremost.] First. [Obs.] "Adam our forme father." Chaucer.

Formed (?), a. 1. (Astron.) Arranged, as stars in a constellation; as, formed stars. [R.]

2. (Biol.) Having structure; capable of growth and development; organized; as, the formed or organized ferments. See Ferment, n.

Formed material (Biol.), a term employed by Beale to denote the lifeless matter of a cell, that which is physiologically dead, in distinction from the truly germinal or living matter.

For"me*don (?), n. [OF., fr. Latin. So called because the plaintiff claimed "by the form of the gift,: L. per formam doni.] (O. Eng. Law) A writ of right for a tenant in tail in case of a discontinuance of the estate tail. This writ has been abolished.

For"mell (?), n. [Dim. of F. forme the female of a bird of prey.] (Zoˆl.) The female of a hawk or falcon.

Form"er (?), n. 1. One who forms; a maker; a creator.

2. (Mech.) (a) A shape around which an article is to be shaped, molded, woven wrapped, pasted, or otherwise constructed. (b) A templet, pattern, or gauge by which an article is shaped. (c) A cutting die.

For"mer (?), a. [A compar. due to OE. formest. See Foremost.] 1. Preceding in order of time; antecedent; previous; prior; earlier; hence, ancient; long past.

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age.

Job. viii. 8.