budge

¹

[buhj]

verb (used without object)

budged, budging 

1. to move slightly; begin to move.

   He stepped on the gas but the car didn't budge.

2. to change one's opinion or stated position; yield.

   Once her father had said “no,” he wouldn't budge.

verb (used with object)

budged, budging 

1. to cause to move; begin to move.

   It took three of them to budge the rock.

2. to cause (someone) to reconsider or change an opinion, decision, or stated position.

   They couldn't budge the lawyer.

   Synonyms: convince, sway, move, induce, persuade

budge

²

[buhj]

noun

1. a fur made from lambskin with the wool dressed outward, used especially as an inexpensive trimming on academic or official gowns.

adjective

1. made from, trimmed, or lined with budge.

2. Obsolete.,  pompous; solemn.

Budge

³

[buhj]

noun

1. (John) Donald, 1915–2000, U.S. tennis player.

budge

¹

/ bʌdʒ /

verb

1. to move, however slightly

   the car won't budge

2. to change or cause to change opinions, etc

Budge

²

/ bʌdʒ /

noun

1. Don ( ald ). 1915–2000, US tennis player, the first man to win the Grand Slam of singles championships (Australia, France, Wimbledon, and the US) in one year (1938)

budge

³

/ bʌdʒ /

noun

1. a lambskin dressed for the fur to be worn on the outer side

Other Word Forms

• budger noun
• unbudged adjective
• unbudging adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of budge¹

1580–90; < Anglo-French, Middle French bouger to stir < Vulgar Latin *bullicāre to bubble, frequentative of Latin bullīre; boil ¹

Origin of budge²

1350–1400; Middle English bugee, perhaps akin to budget

Word History and Origins

Origin of budge¹

C16: from Old French bouger , from Vulgar Latin bullicāre (unattested) to bubble, from Latin bullīre to boil, from bulla bubble

Origin of budge²

C14: from Anglo-French bogee , of obscure origin

Example Sentences

But rather than revisit the initial findings, the lawsuit filed by the Salehpours claims, the LAPD’s Valley homicide unit and the medical examiner’s office closed ranks and refused to budge.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Job growth has still barely budged since April, raising pressure on the central bank to cut interest rates to support the economy.

Read more on BBC

He topped out at 50-pounds, then refused to budge from the starting line.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The door was stuck and would not budge.

Read more on Literature

The trend among more affluent households they examined “barely budged.”

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• bend