inform
/ɪnˈfɔːm/verb
1
- reporting verb give (someone) facts or information; tell告诉, 通知, 向…报告：
with obj. he wrote to her, informing her of the situation他给她写了信, 把情况告诉她
with obj. and direct speech 'That's nothing new,' she informed him“那不是什么新鲜事”, 她告诉他
with obj. and clause they were informed that no risk was involved.他们被告知没有危险。
1.1
- no obj. give incriminating information about someone to the police or other authority（向警方或当局）告发, 告密：
surrendered terrorists began to inform on their former comrades.
投降的恐怖分子开始告发他们过去的同谋。
2
- with obj. give an essential or formative principle or quality to赋予…基本特征; 用…原则充实：
the relationship of the citizen to the state is informed by the democratic ideal.
公民和国家间的关系以民主主义理想为其实质内容。
词源
Middle English enforme, informe 'give form or shape to', also 'form the mind of, teach', from Old French enfourmer, from Latin informare 'shape, fashion, describe', from in- 'into' + forma 'a form'.