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   reform

   /rɪˈfɔːm/

   verb

   • 1. make changes in (something, especially an institution or practice) in order to improve it: "the Bill will reform the tax system" Similar improvemake betterbetteramelioraterefinemendrectifycorrectrehabilitatealtermake alterations tochangeadjustmake adjustments toadaptamendreviserecastreshaperefashionredesignrestylerevamprenovatereworkredoremakerebuildreconstructremodelmake overremouldreorganizerevolutionizereorientreorientatevarytransformconvertcustomizetailortechnical:permuterare:permutateOpposite preservemaintain
   • ▪ cause (someone) to relinquish an immoral, criminal, or self-destructive lifestyle: "the state has a duty to reform criminals"
   • ▪ relinquish an immoral, criminal, or self-destructive lifestyle: "it was only when his drunken behaviour led to blows that he started to reform" Similar mend one's wayschange for the betterchange completelymake a fresh startturn over a new leafbecome a new personreconstruct oneselfimprovego straightget back on the straight and narrowOpposite worsen
   • 2. subject (hydrocarbons) to a catalytic process in which straight-chain molecules are converted to branched forms for use as petrol.

   noun

   • 1. the action or process of reforming an institution or practice: "the reform of the divorce laws"

   Word Origin Middle English (as a verb in the senses ‘restore (peace)’ and ‘bring back to the original condition’): from Old French reformer or Latin reformare, from re- ‘back’ + formare ‘to form, shape’. The noun dates from the mid 17th century.

   Derivatives

   • 1. reformable adjective
   • 2. reformative adjective

   Scrabble Points: 11

   • R

     1

   • E

     1

   • F

     4

   • O

     1

   • R

     1

   • M

     3

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