stereotype

stereotype
    n 1: a conventional or formulaic conception or image; "regional
         stereotypes have been part of America since its founding"
    v 1: treat or classify according to a mental stereotype; "I was
         stereotyped as a lazy Southern European" [syn:
         {pigeonhole}, {stereotype}, {stamp}]
    

Stereotype \Ste"re*o*type\, n. [Stereo- + -type: cf. F.
   st['e]r['e]otype.]
   1. A plate forming an exact faximile of a page of type or of
      an engraving, used in printing books, etc.; specifically,
      a plate with type-metal face, used for printing.
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   Note: A stereotype, or stereotypr plate, is made by setting
         movable type as for ordinary printing; from these a
         cast is taken in plaster of Paris, paper pulp, or the
         like, and upon this cast melted type metal is poured,
         which, when hardened, makes a solid page or column,
         from which the impression is taken as from type.
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   2. The art or process of making such plates, or of executing
      work by means of them.
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   {Stereotype block}, a block, usually of wood, to which a
      stereotype plate is attached while being used in printing.
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Stereotype \Ste"re*o*type\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Stereotyped};
   p. pr. & vb. n. {Stereotyping}.] [Cf. F. st['e]r['e]otyper.]
   1. To prepare for printing in stereotype; to make the
      stereotype plates of; as, to stereotype the Bible.
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   2. Fig.: To make firm or permanent; to fix.
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            Powerful causes tending to stereotype and aggravate
            the poverty of old conditions.        --Duke of
                                                  Argyll (1887).
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88 Moby Thesaurus words for "stereotype":
      assimilate to, automatism, autotype, bad habit, balance, bed,
      characteristic, confirm, creature of habit, custom, damp, deep-dye,
      define, duplicate plate, electrotype, embed, engraft, engrave,
      entrench, equalize, equilibrize, establish, etch, even, fix,
      flatten, force of habit, found, ground, habit, habit pattern,
      habitude, harmonize, homogenize, impact, implant, impress, imprint,
      infix, ingrain, inscribe, jam, keyboard, level, linotype,
      locked-up page, lodge, make uniform, monotype, normalize, pack,
      palaeotype, pattern, peculiarity, plant, plastic plate, plate,
      practice, praxis, print, printing plate, printing surface,
      regularize, regulate, root, rubber plate, seat, second nature, set,
      set in, settle, smooth, stabilize, stamp, standardize,
      stereotyped behavior, stone, symmetrize, trick, typeform,
      uniformize, usage, use, way, wedge, wont, zincograph, zincotype