bulge
[ buhlj ]
/ bʌldʒ /
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noun
a rounded projection, bend, or protruding part; protuberance; hump: a bulge in a wall.
any sudden increase, as of numbers, sales, or prices: the bulge in profits.
a rising in small waves on the surface of a body of water, caused by the action of a fish or fishes in pursuit of food underwater.
verb (used without object), bulged, bulg·ing.
to swell or bend outward; be protuberant.
to be filled to capacity: The box bulged with cookies.
verb (used with object), bulged, bulg·ing.
to make protuberant; cause to swell.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON PARENTHESES AND BRACKETS APLENTY!
Set some time apart to test your bracket symbol knowledge, and see if you can keep your parentheses, squares, curlies, and angles all straight!
Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT Origin of bulge
1200–50; Middle English: bag, hump <Old French <Latin bulga bag <Celtic; compare Irish bolg bag
pronunciation note for bulge
See bulk1.
OTHER WORDS FROM bulge
bulg·ing·ly, adverboutbulge, verb, out·bulged, out·bulg·ing.Words nearby bulge
Definition for bulge (2 of 2)
Bulge
[ buhlj ]
/ bʌldʒ /
noun
Battle of the, the final major German counteroffensive in World War II, begun December 16, 1944, and thrusting deep into Allied territory in N and E Belgium: repulsed January 1945.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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British Dictionary definitions for bulge (1 of 2)
bulge
/ (bʌldʒ) /
noun
a swelling or an outward curve
a sudden increase in number or volume, esp of population
British another name for baby boom
British the projecting part of an army's front line; salient
verb
to swell outwards
Derived forms of bulge
bulging, adjectivebulgingly, adverbbulgy, adjectivebulginess, nounWord Origin for bulge
C13: from Old French bouge, from Latin bulga bag, probably of Gaulish origin
British Dictionary definitions for bulge (2 of 2)
Bulge
/ (bʌldʒ) /
noun
Battle of the Bulge (in World War II) the final major German counteroffensive in 1944 when the Allied forces were pushed back into NE Belgium; the Germans were repulsed by Jan 1945
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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