What is "mold"

Mold \Mold\, Mould \Mould\, n. [From the p. p. of OE. moulen to become moldy, to rot, prob. fr. Icel. mygla to grow musty, mugga mugginess; cf. Sw. m["o]gla to grow moldy. See Muggy, and cf. Moldy.] (Bot.) A growth of minute fungi of various kinds, esp. those of the great groups Hyphomycetes, and Physomycetes, forming on damp or decaying organic matter.

Note: The common blue mold of cheese, the brick-red cheese mold, and the scarlet or orange strata which grow on tubers or roots stored up for use, when commencing to decay, are familiar examples.
--M. J. Berkley.

Mold \Mold\, n. [See Mole a spot.] A spot; a blemish; a mole. [Obs.]
--Spenser.

Mold \Mold\, Mould \Mould\, n. [OE. molde, AS. molde; akin to D. mul, G. mull, mulm, OHG. molt, molta, Icel. mold, Dan. muld, Sw. mull, Goth. mulda, and E. meal flour. See Meal, and cf. Mole an animal, Mull, v.] [The prevalent spelling is, perhaps, mould; but as the u has not been inserted in the other words of this class, as bold, gold, old, cold, etc., it seems desirable to complete the analogy by dropping it from this word, thus spelling it as Spenser, South, and many others did. The omission of the u is now very common in America.]

1. Crumbling, soft, friable earth; esp., earth containing the remains or constituents of organic matter, and suited to the growth of plants; soil.

2. Earthy material; the matter of which anything is formed; composing substance; material.

   The etherial mold, Incapable of stain.
   --Milton.

   Nature formed me of her softest mold.
   --Addison.

Mold \Mold\, Mould \Mould\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Molded or Moulded; p. pr. & vb. n. Molding or Moulding.] To cover with mold or soil. [R.]

Mold \Mold\, Mould \Mould\, v. t. To cause to become moldy; to cause mold to grow upon.

Mold \Mold\, Mould \Mould\, v. i. To become moldy; to be covered or filled, in whole or in part, with a mold.

Mold \Mold\, Mould \Mould\, n. [OE. molde, OF. mole, F. moule, fr. L. modulus. See Model.] [For spelling, see 2d Mold, above.]

1. The matrix, or cavity, in which anything is shaped, and from which it takes its form; also, the body or mass containing the cavity; as, a sand mold; a jelly mold.
   --Milton.

2. That on which, or in accordance with which, anything is modeled or formed; anything which serves to regulate the size, form, etc., as the pattern or templet used by a shipbuilder, carpenter, or mason.

   The glass of fashion and the mold of form.
   --Shak.

3. Cast; form; shape; character.

   Crowned with an architrave of antique mold.
   --Pope.

4. (Arch.) A group of moldings; as, the arch mold of a porch or doorway; the pier mold of a Gothic pier, meaning the whole profile, section, or combination of parts.

5. (Anat.) A fontanel.

6. (Paper Making) A frame with a wire cloth bottom, on which the pump is drained to form a sheet, in making paper by hand.

Mold \Mold\, Mould \Mould\, v. t. [Cf. F. mouler, OF. moler, moller. See Mold the matrix.]

1. To form into a particular shape; to shape; to model; to fashion.

   He forgeth and moldeth metals.
   --Sir M. Hale.

   Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay To mold me man?
   --Milton.

2. To ornament by molding or carving the material of; as, a molded window jamb.

3. To knead; as, to mold dough or bread.

4. (Founding) To form a mold of, as in sand, in which a casting may be made.

also mould, "hollow shape," c.1200, originally "fashion, form; nature, native constitution, character," metathesized from Old French modle "model, plan, copy; way, manner" (12c., Modern French moule), from Latin modulum (nominative modulus) "measure, model," diminutive of modus "manner" (see mode (1)). From c.1300 as "pattern or model by which something is shaped or made." To break the mold "render impossible the creation of another" is from 1560s.

also mould, "furry fungus," early 15c., probably from moulde, past participle of moulen "to grow moldy" (early 13c.), related to Old Norse mygla "grow moldy," possibly from Proto-Germanic *(s)muk- indicating "wetness, slipperiness," from PIE *meug- (see mucus). Or it might have evolved from (or been influenced by) Old English molde "loose earth" (see mold (n.3)).

also mould, "loose earth," Old English molde "earth, sand, dust, soil; land, country, world," from Proto-Germanic *mulda (cognates: Old Frisian molde "earth, soil," Old Norse mold "earth," Middle Dutch moude, Dutch moude, Old High German molta "dust, earth," Gothic mulda "dust"), from PIE root *mele- "to rub, grind" (see meal (n.2)). Specifically, since late (Christian) Old English, "the earth of the grave."

also mould, mid-14c., "to mix, blend;" late 14c. "to knead, shape," from mold (n.1). Figurative sense (of character, etc.) is from c.1600. Related: Molded; molding.

Etymology 1 n. 1 A hollow form or matrix for shaping a fluid or plastic substance. 2 A frame or model around or on which something is formed or shaped. 3 Something that is made in or shaped on a mold. 4 The shape or pattern of a mold. 5 General shape or form. 6 distinctive character or type. 7 A fixed or restrictive pattern or form. 8 (lb en architecture) A group of moldings. 9 (lb en anatomy) A fontanelle. vb. 1 (context transitive English) To shape in or on a mold. 2 (context transitive English) To form into a particular shape; to give shape to. 3 (context transitive English) To guide or determine the growth or development of; influence; as, ''a teacher who helps to mold the minds of his students'' 4 (context transitive English) To fit closely by following the contours of. 5 (context transitive English) To make a mold of or from (molten metal, for example) before casting. 6 (context transitive English) To ornament with moldings. 7 (context intransitive English) To be shaped in or as if in a mold. Etymology 2

n. (senseid en tiny fungi)A natural substance in the form of a woolly or furry growth of tiny fungi that appears when organic material lies for a long time exposed to (usually warm and moist) air. vb. 1 (context transitive English) To cause to become moldy; to cause mold to grow upon. 2 (context intransitive English) To become moldy; to be covered or filled, in whole or in part, with a mold. Etymology 3

n. Loose friable soil, rich in humus and fit for planting. vb. To cover with mold or soil.

1. n. the distinctive form in which a thing is made; "pottery of this cast was found throughout the region" [syn: cast, stamp]

2. container into which liquid is poured to create a given shape when it hardens [syn: mould, cast]

3. loose soil rich in organic matter [syn: mould]

4. the process of becoming mildewed [syn: mildew]

5. a fungus that produces a superficial growth on various kinds of damp or decaying organic matter [syn: mould]

6. sculpture produced by molding [syn: mould, molding, moulding, modeling, clay sculpture]

1. v. form in clay, wax, etc; "model a head with clay" [syn: model, mould]

2. become moldy; spoil due to humidity; "The furniture molded in the old house" [syn: mildew]

3. form by pouring (e.g., wax or hot metal) into a cast or mold; "cast a bronze sculpture" [syn: cast, mould]

4. make something, usually for a specific function; "She molded the riceballs carefully"; "Form cylinders from the dough"; "shape a figure"; "Work the metal into a sword" [syn: shape, form, work, mould, forge]

5. fit tightly, follow the contours of; "The dress molds her beautiful figure"

6. shape or influence; give direction to; "experience often determines ability"; "mold public opinion" [syn: determine, shape, influence, regulate]

becoming progressively discolored and disfigured|Mold growth covering a decaying peach. The frames were taken approximately 12 hours apart over a period of six days.]] A mold or mould is a fungus that grows in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae. In contrast, fungi that can adopt a single-celled growth habit are called yeasts.

Molds are a large and taxonomically diverse number of fungal species where the growth of hyphae results in discoloration and a fuzzy appearance, especially on food. The network of these tubular branching hyphae, called a mycelium, is considered a single organism. The hyphae are generally transparent, so the mycelium appears like very fine, fluffy white threads over the surface. Cross-walls (septa) may delimit connected compartments along the hyphae, each containing one or multiple, genetically identical nuclei. The dusty texture of many molds is caused by profuse production of asexual spores ( conidia) formed by differentiation at the ends of hyphae. The mode of formation and shape of these spores is traditionally used to classify molds. Many of these spores are colored, making the fungus much more obvious to the human eye at this stage in its life-cycle.

Molds are considered to be microbes and do not form a specific taxonomic or phylogenetic grouping, but can be found in the divisions Zygomycota and Ascomycota. In the past, most molds were classified within the Deuteromycota.

Molds cause biodegradation of natural materials, which can be unwanted when it becomes food spoilage or damage to property. They also play important roles in biotechnology and food science in the production of various foods, beverages, antibiotics, pharmaceuticals and enzymes. Some diseases of animals and humans can be caused by certain molds: disease may result from allergic sensitivity to mold spores, from growth of pathogenic molds within the body, or from the effects of ingested or inhaled toxic compounds ( mycotoxins) produced by molds.

Mold or mould is a kind of fungus.

Mold or mould may also refer to:

Mold is the fourth studio album made by the supergroup Praxis, released in 1998.

A mold or mould is a container used in various techniques of food preparation to shape the finished dish. The term mold may also refer to a finished dish made in such a container (e.g. a jello mold).1

Mold is the surname of:

• Arthur Mold (1863-1921), English cricketer
• Carlos Mold (1885-?), Argentine rugby union and cricket player
• Johnny Mold, America snowmobile racer
• Stephen Mold, elected Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner in 2016