form-v; 3 Senses

Sense Number 1: cause to (physically) shape

Commentary: Syntax: NP1[+/-agent] FORM NP2[+concrete]
NOTE: Includes concrete uses.

Examples:
Form a ball with the pie dough.
We watched a glass blower forming a large blue vase.
The children formed a circle around the tree.
A lava flow probably formed these twisted rock formations.

Mappings:
VerbNet: create-26.4
FrameNet: Creating,Reshaping
PropBank: form.01
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 4, 5

Sense Number 2: create, establish (as an abstract entity)

Commentary: Syntax: NP1[+agent] FORM NP2[+abstract]
NOTE: Includes abstract uses.

Examples:
Let's form a start-up!
He wanted to form a chess club at school.
The stray dogs formed a pack.
John formed a dislike of tuna fish after getting food poisoning.

Mappings:
VerbNet: create-26.4
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: form.01
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1, 4, 6

Sense Number 3: make, constitute, take shape, develop

Commentary: NP1[+theme] FORM (PP[+location]) (NP2)
NOTE: Includes concrete and abstract forming (inchoative).

Examples:
The rocks come together at the top to form an archway.
These two manuscripts form the entire surviving work of that poet.
A canvas and paint by themselves don't form a masterpiece.
The water formed little beads.
Tiny ice crystals formed on the outside of the window.
The idea for a computer game had long been forming in her mind.

Mappings:
VerbNet: appear-48.1.1,reflexive_appearance-48.1.2
FrameNet: Reshaping,Coming_to_be
PropBank: form.02
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 2, 3, 7