Part 226

In`for*mal"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Informalities (&?;). 1. The state of being informal; want of regular, prescribed, or customary form; as, the informality of legal proceedings.

2. An informal, unconventional, or unofficial act or proceeding; something which is not in proper or prescribed form or does not conform to the established rule.

In*form"al*ly (?), adv. In an informal manner.

In*form"ant (?), n. [L. informans, -antis, p. pr. of informare. See Inform, v. t.] 1. One who, or that which, informs, animates, or vivifies. [Obs.] Glanvill.

2. One who imparts information or instruction.

3. One who offers an accusation; an informer. See Informer. [Obs. or R.]

It was the last evidence of the kind; the informant was hanged.

Burke.

In`for*ma"tion (?), n. [F., fr. L. informatio representation, conception. See Inform, v. t.] 1. The act of informing, or communicating knowledge or intelligence.

The active informations of the intellect.

South.

2. News, advice, or knowledge, communicated by others or obtained by personal study and investigation; intelligence; knowledge derived from reading, observation, or instruction.

Larger opportunities of information.

Rogers.

He should get some information in the subject he intends to handle.

Swift.

3. (Law) A proceeding in the nature of a prosecution for some offense against the government, instituted and prosecuted, really or nominally, by some authorized public officer on behalf of the government. It differs from an indictment in criminal cases chiefly in not being based on the finding of a grand jury. See Indictment.

In*form"a*tive (?), a. Having power to inform, animate, or vivify. Dr. H. More.

In*form"a*to*ry (?), a. Full of, or conveying, information; instructive. [R.] London Spectator.

In*formed" (?n-f?rmd\'b6), a. Unformed or ill-formed; deformed; shapeless. [Obs.] Spenser.

Informed stars. See under Unformed.

In*form"er (?), n. [From Inform, v.] 1. One who informs, animates, or inspires. [Obs.] Thomson.

Nature, informer of the poet's art.

Pope.

2. One who informs, or imparts knowledge or news.

3. (Law) One who informs a magistrate of violations of law; one who informs against another for violation of some law or penal statute.

Common informer (Law), one who habitually gives information of the violation of penal statutes, with a view to a prosecution therefor. Bouvier. Wharton.

In*for"mi*da*ble (?), a. [L. informidabilis. See In- not, and Formidable.] Not formidable; not to be feared or dreaded. [Obs.] "Foe not informidable." Milton.