Forme (printing)

In typesetting, a forme (or form) is imposed by a stoneman working on a flat imposition stone when he assembles the loose components of a page (or number of simultaneously printed pages) into a locked arrangement, inside a chase, ready for printing.

A locked-up forme for printing a single page

Main article: letterpress printing

If metal type is kept locked up in the typeset document for long periods to allow reprint, this is called "standing type".

See also

• History of western typography
• Typography