inform

vt. 通知；告诉；报告

vi. 告发；告密

中文词源

inform 通知

in-,进入，使，form,形成。其原义使成形，训练，后引申词义教导，教育，说明，通知。引申演变比较instruct.

inform: inform: [14] When English first acquired inform (via Old French enfourmer) it was used simply for ‘give form or shape to’. However, its Latin original, informāre (a compound verb based on forma ‘form’), had in classical times moved on from the primary notion of ‘shaping’ via ‘forming an idea of something’ and ‘describing it’ to ‘telling or instructing people about something’. English took this sense over too, and has persevered with it, but ‘give shape to’ was dropped in the 17th century.
=> form
inform (v.): early 14c., "to train or instruct in some specific subject," from Old French informer "instruct, inform, teach," and directly from Latin informare "to shape, form," figuratively "train, instruct, educate," from in- "into" (see in- (2)) + formare "to form, shape," from forma "form" (see form (n.)). Varied with enform until c. 1600. Sense of "report facts or news" first recorded late 14c. Related: Informed; informing.

1. Teachers inform me that Tracey's behaviour has improved no end.: 老师们告诉我特雷西的行为大有改善。

2. The concept of the Rose continued to inform the poet's work.: 玫瑰的概念持续贯穿于诗人的作品中。

3. We simply want to inform people objectively about events.: 我们只是想如实地向人们通报事件情况。

4. Nobody had the decency to inform me of what was planned.: 竟然没有一个人最起码地通知我一声计划了些什么。

5. We regret to inform you that you are being furloughed indefinitely.: 我们遗憾地通知您，您将要无限期地在家待岗。