budge

¹ American  

[buhj] / bʌdʒ /

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.

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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 American  

[buhj] / bʌdʒ /

noun

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

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adjective

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

2. Obsolete. pompous; solemn.

Budge ³ American  

[buhj] / bʌdʒ /

noun

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

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budge ¹ British  

/ bʌdʒ /

verb

1. to move, however slightly

   the car won't budge

2. to change or cause to change opinions, etc

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Budge ² British  

/ 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)

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budge ³ British  

/ bʌdʒ /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

• budger noun
• unbudged adjective
• unbudging adjective

Etymology

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

Example Sentences

The S&P 500 index has barely budged since late October.

From MarketWatch

The S&P 500 index has barely budged since late October.

From MarketWatch

He said while OPEC’s 2024 announcement that it would boost production lowered near-term crude prices, longer-term prices barely budged “because the long-term story hasn’t changed.”

From MarketWatch

The outcome was never really in doubt because Denver’s defense didn’t budge.

From Los Angeles Times

In fleeting moments, when the blimp would begin to budge, you could almost hear faint cheers for stronger gusts.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bend