Reforming

chemistry. the process of cracking low-octane petroleum fractions in order to increase the octane number.
to form again.
the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc.:
social reform; spelling reform.
an instance of this.
the amendment of conduct, belief, etc.
to change to a better state, form, etc.; improve by alteration, subst-tution, abolition, etc.
to cause (a person) to abandon wrong or evil ways of life or conduct.
to put an end to (abuses, disorders, etc.).
chemistry. to subject to the process of , as in refining petroleum.
to abandon evil conduct or error:
the drunkard promised to reform.
(initial capital letter) of, relating to, or characteristic of reform jews or reform judaism:
a reform rabbi.
contemporary examples

reforming social security and medicare is fair game; no reasonable observer would disagree.
perry’s ent-tlement problem andrew romano august 11, 2011

and reforming the imf and the world bank may prove to be just as hard.
how the g7 lost its mojo david rothkopf october 22, 2008

perhaps we should focus on reforming our justice system so that the guilty are swiftly and severely punished.
a nation of onlookers: india’s violence against women and america’s guns dilip d’souza december 21, 2012

while much money has been poured into security-sector reform, very little has been focused on reforming the judicial sector.
a girl’s murder sparks riots ruthie ackerman march 25, 2010

the panel says the vatican should endorse, not oppose, reforming secular child safety laws.
un slams vatican on predator priests barbie latza nadeau february 4, 2014

historical examples

some of his bitterest persecutors were men who had once been his friends, and had gone with him in his reforming opinions.
sketches of church history james craigie robertson

we owe it to the s-x, renny, to give ’em a chance at reforming us.
in the midst of alarms robert barr

in short, mahmoud could not have given a better lesson to his subjects than by reforming himself.
the continental monthly, vol 3 no 3, march 1863 various

the london apprentices had been affected deeply by the reforming preachers.
the reign of mary tudor w. llewelyn williams.

in 1506, having taken holy orders, he became pastor of glarus and at once began to show a reforming spirit.
switzerland frank fox

verb
(transitive) to improve (an existing inst-tution, law, practice, etc) by alteration or correction of abuses
to give up or cause to give up a reprehensible habit or immoral way of life
(chem) to change the molecular structure of (a hydrocarbon) to make it suitable for use as petrol by heat, pressure, and the action of catalysts
noun
an improvement or change for the better, esp as a result of correction of legal or political abuses or malpractices
a principle, campaign, or measure aimed at achieving such change
improvement of morals or behaviour, esp by giving up some vice
verb
to form anew
v.

c.1300, “to convert into another and better form,” from old french reformer “rebuild, reconstruct, recreate” (12c.), from latin reformare “to form again, change, transform, alter,” from re- “again” (see re-) + formare “to form” (see form (n.)). intransitive sense from 1580s.

meaning “to bring (a person) away from an evil course of life” is recorded from early 15c.; of governments, inst-tutions, etc., from early 15c. related: reformed; reforming. reformed churches (1580s) usually are calvinist as opposed to lutheran. reformed judaism (1843) is a movement initiated in germany by moses mendelssohn (1729-1786). reform school is attested from 1859.
n.

“any proceeding which brings back a better order of things,” 1660s, from reform (v.) and in some uses from french réforme. as a branch of judaism from 1843.
v.

“form again,” mid-14c., from re- + form (v.). related: re-formed; re-forming; re-formation.