In this definition “丑陋：难看。多形象人或事物的相貌、样子。”, 形象 seems to me functioning like a verb, but I can't find such a usage in MDBG, Wenlin, dict.baidu.com.
Do I get it wrong or does it indeed function like a verb?
3 Answers
形象 is strictly a noun for 'image'
in this definition “丑陋：难看。多形象人或事物的相貌、样子。”
Obviously, 形象 is a typo of 形容 (describe) here
The correct sentence is :
丑陋：难看。多形容人或事物的相貌、样子
丑陋：ugly. Mostly describes the appearance and looks of people or things
No. 形象 is a noun, it is the external image/impression of a person seeing by others regarding the way he/she talks and acts, also the advocates and causes he/she stands for or promoting on.
他作人行事中規中矩, 給人一個良好的形象.
他給人的形象是正直誠實.
他的主張給他製造了良好的形象.
在工作上, 他的形象很差.
Similarly, 丑陋 is a noun. However, 丑化 is a verb, as in 丑化一個人的形象.
形象：n. Image(n) Adj. vivid; e.g. 这个描述很形象。
The quote you gave is actually not very modernly correct. It’d be more acceptable to say “ 多形容人或事物的相貌”。
It might have been used as a verb in the past, but not nowadays.