mould
mould — noun
1. a soft, furry coating that forms in warm wet places, such as on leftovers that h
a soft, furry coating that forms in warm wet places, such as on leftovers that have been sitting too long or on walls that stay damp. Its colours range from shades of green and grey to black, and it belongs to the fungus family.
Pim found green mould on the bread he left in the bag for over a week.
mould on [type of food]
The bathroom wall was covered with black mould because the room never dried out fully.
covered with mould on a surface
Eshe threw away the cheese when she noticed white mould growing on the surface.
mould growing on a surface
Mould can grow on wooden furniture if the room stays damp all year.
The old carpet in the basement smelled bad because mould had spread underneath it.
- green mould
- black mould
- white mould
- covered in mould
- mould grows
- smell of mould
Grammar Patterns
mould grows on [noun phrase]
covered in/with mould
Usage Note
The American English spelling is 'mold'. Mould is usually uncountable when talking about the substance generally ('There is mould on the walls'), but countable when referring to specific types ('Several different moulds grew on the fruit').
Common Mistakes
2. an open container whose inner space has a fixed shape. A soft or liquid substanc
an open container whose inner space has a fixed shape. A soft or liquid substance such as melted metal, clay, or cake batter is put into it, and when the substance hardens it takes on that same shape.
Tamás poured the melted chocolate into a heart-shaped mould to make Valentine's candy.
pour [substance] into a [shape] mould
The artist pressed wet clay into a plaster mould to produce identical bowls.
press [material] into a mould
Samir used a metal mould to shape the melted wax into round candles.
use a [material] mould to [verb]
Renata filled the cake mould with batter and placed it carefully in the oven.
fill a [type] mould with [substance]
The factory makes plastic parts by injecting hot liquid into steel moulds under high pressure.
- metal mould
- plaster mould
- cake mould
- heart-shaped mould
- pour into a mould
- remove from the mould
Grammar Patterns
pour [substance] into a mould
in a mould
use a mould to [verb]
Usage Note
Moulds can be made of metal, plastic, silicone, plaster, or wood depending on the material being shaped and the temperature involved.
Common Mistakes
3. a particular set of qualities, attitudes, or behaviours that mark a specific kin
a particular set of qualities, attitudes, or behaviours that mark a specific kind of person, making them easy to recognise as belonging to that group.
The new head coach is from a very different mould than her predecessor — far more relaxed and informal.
from a different mould
Reporters at that newspaper tend to fit a certain mould: well-educated and raised in the capital.
fit a certain mould
Adisa is a teacher in the traditional mould, demanding silence and hard work from every student.
in the traditional mould
The company wants to hire someone who breaks the mould and comes up with fresh ideas.
breaks the mould — idiom for innovation
Her writing style does not fit the mould of typical academic work — it feels more like a novel.
- from the same mould
- fit a mould
- break the mould
- in the traditional mould
- in a different mould
Grammar Patterns
from/in/out of the same mould
in a [adjective] mould
break the mould
Usage Note
Used most often in fixed phrases with 'from', 'in', 'fit', or 'break'. 'Break the mould' is a common idiom meaning to change an established pattern in a dramatic way.
Common Mistakes
break the mould
idiomto change a long-established pattern or tradition in a striking way, especially by doing something original that others have not tried before.
The young architect broke the mould by designing a skyscraper that produces more energy than it uses.
The school's new teaching method broke the mould — there were no exams and no grades at all.
to be very similar to someone else in character, behaviour, or attitude.
The two sisters were cast in the same mould — both shy but fiercely independent.
Every CEO they hire seems cast in the same mould: ambitious and unwilling to take risks.
To do something new and different that changes the usual way of doing things.
Maya broke the mould by becoming the first female pilot in her town.
Did the new CEO break the mould of traditional management?
Used to say that someone or something is unique and there will never be another like them.
After creating that masterpiece, they truly broke the mould.
My grandmother was one of a kind; they broke the mould when they made her.
mould — verb
1. to press, form, or carve a soft substance into a particular shape, either using
to press, form, or carve a soft substance into a particular shape, either using your hands or by putting it inside a mould.
Iris moulded the clay into a small vase using only her fingers and a wooden stick.
mould [material] into [object] with [tool]
Christopher moulded the wet sand into the shape of a large castle before the tide arrived.
mould [material] into the shape of [thing]
The potter moulded a lump of grey clay into a smooth, wide bowl on her spinning wheel.
Élise moulded the soft dough into small round rolls and placed them on the baking tray.
mould [food] into [shape]
Workers moulded the hot glass into bottles by blowing air through a long metal tube.
- mould clay
- mould dough
- mould wax
- mould into shape
- mould with hands
Grammar Patterns
mould [material] into [shape]
mould [material] from [source]
Usage Note
Often used for crafts, cooking, and industrial processes. The object is usually the material being shaped, and the result is introduced with 'into'.
Common Mistakes
2. to have a strong effect on the way someone's character, opinions, or beliefs dev
to have a strong effect on the way someone's character, opinions, or beliefs develop, usually over a long period of time.
Eri's aunt moulded her into a confident public speaker by encouraging her to join every debate club.
moulded [someone] into [adjective noun]
Teachers can help mould young people's values by creating space for honest, open discussion.
mould [someone's] values
Childhood experiences at the local music school moulded Sivan's deep love for the piano.
The coach's strict training programme moulded the team into disciplined, focused athletes.
moulded [group] into [adjective noun]
Parents and teachers both play a role in moulding a child's attitude towards learning new skills.
role in moulding [someone's] [something]
- mould character
- mould opinion
- mould someone's mind
- mould into a leader
- experiences mould someone
- corrupt
to influence someone in a negative, destructive direction
Grammar Patterns
mould [someone] into [something]
mould [someone's] character/opinion
Usage Note
The metaphor extends the physical sense — as you shape clay, so experience shapes personality. Frequently used with 'into' to indicate the resulting type of person.
Common Mistakes
3. to adjust or be adjusted to the exact shape of a person's body, so that clothing
to adjust or be adjusted to the exact shape of a person's body, so that clothing, shoes, or other items fit very closely and comfortably.
Her new velvet dress moulded to her body so perfectly that she did not need any changes.
moulded to [body part]
The leather shoes gradually moulded to the shape of Emre's feet after three weeks of daily wear.
moulded to the shape of [body part]
This stretchy swimsuit is designed to mould smoothly to your body without feeling tight.
designed to mould to your body
The running shoes mould to the shape of each person's foot after several long runs.
mould to the shape of [body part]
A good tailor can mould a jacket to your shoulders so it sits perfectly on you.
mould [garment] to [body part]
- mould to the body
- mould to the shape of
- mould smoothly
- mould closely
- mould to the waist
- fit
simpler and more general; 'mould' adds the idea of gradual adjustment rather than a perfect initial fit
- conform to
formal; suggests following a shape precisely
- gap
when clothing is loose and does not follow the body's shape
Grammar Patterns
mould to [body part]
mould [clothing] to [body part]
Usage Note
Commonly used with 'to' rather than a direct object. The subject is usually the clothing item or material, and the object is a body part. For transitive use ('mould the dress to her figure'), the direct object is the item being fitted.
Common Mistakes
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
All four words describe giving something a particular structure, but they differ in how the action is done. 'Mould' emphasises pressing or fitting a soft material into a desired form, often using a container or the hands. 'Shape' is the most general term — you can shape clay, a piece of wood, or even a plan. 'Form' is slightly more formal and focuses on the process of bringing something into existence with a particular structure. 'Sculpt' implies artistic skill and is usually reserved for carving hard materials like stone or wood, or for modelling clay with careful detail. For example, a potter moulds clay by pressing it on a wheel, while an artist sculpts a figure from marble with chisels.