façoner

Façonner is a French verb of the first group whose core meaning is to give a form to something, to model or shape it, and by extension to manufacture or fashion something according to specific requirements. It covers both the physical process of shaping materials such as metal, wood, clay, or dough, and the creation of forms in a broader sense, including the design of objects, garments, or structures. The term can also be used metaphorically to indicate shaping ideas, plans, or opinions.

Etymology and forms: Façonner comes from the noun façon (fashion, form, manner), itself derived from old French and ultimately linked to the Latin facere, to make. The verb is regular for an -er verb; present tense forms are je façonne, tu façonnes, il façonne, nous façonnons, vous façonnez, ils façonnent, with the usual orthography of the cedilla under c in the nous and vous forms.

Usage: In a literal sense, it applies to crafts and manufacturing—façonner le métal, la pierre, la pâte, le bois, ou des vêtements. Figuratively, it means to shape or mold abstract things such as une opinion, un caractère, une politique, or an identity. The noun form façonnage denotes the process or result of shaping, while the past participle façonné describes something that has been shaped or crafted.

À façon is an associated expression used in manufacturing and commerce to denote production under contract or bespoke, i.e., made to specification by a subcontractor rather than in standard mass production.