forme

forme — noun

1. a rectangular metal frame used in traditional printing that holds the assembled

1.nounC2
Definition

a rectangular metal frame used in traditional printing that holds the assembled type blocks tightly in position so that an entire page can be printed at once

Example

Camila carefully locked the forme into the printing press before starting the run.

collocation: lock the forme into the press

The apprentice learned how to arrange the type inside a forme without disturbing the letters.

Common collocations
  • lock up a forme
  • assemble a forme
  • remove the forme
  • clean the forme
  • forme is ready for printing
  • loose forme
  • antique forme
Synonyms
  • type form

    American spelling variant; interchangeable in meaning but used in US printing contexts

  • chase

    strictly the metal frame itself, not the assembled type within it — narrower in scope than 'forme'

Grammar Patterns

a + forme

the + forme

Usage Note

This term is primarily used in the context of letterpress printing. The American spelling is usually 'form'. It is rarely encountered outside of historical or specialist printing discussions.

Common Mistakes

The newspaper uses a digital forme for printing.
The newspaper uses a digital layout for printing.
'forme' refers specifically to physical metal type in traditional printing, not to digital page layouts.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three terms relate to letterpress printing but differ in scope. 'Forme' (British spelling) refers to the complete assembly: a metal chase (frame) that holds the blocks of type locked in position, ready for the press. 'Chase' is narrower — it names only the metal frame itself, not the type inside it. 'Type form' is the American spelling of the same object and is used interchangeably with 'forme' in US printing manuals. In practice, a printer would say 'lock up the forme' (meaning the whole assembly) but 'remove the chase from the press' if talking about just the frame. For a learner of English encountering traditional printing terminology, 'forme' is the most comprehensive term to know.

forme ↗chase ↗type form

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • lock up a forme
  • remove the forme
  • assemble the forme

Prepositions

  • in a forme
  • out of the forme
  • into the press

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'forme' was adopted from French 'forme', meaning 'shape' or 'arrangement', which itself came from Latin 'forma' ('form, shape, mold'). The printing sense developed in the 1500s when movable type was first assembled into pages. The spelling with a final 'e' (forme) became standard in British English for the printing meaning to distinguish it from the more general word 'form', though American English uses 'form' for both.

First known use

15th century

15th century, in the meaning defined above