adjective, bold·er, bold·est.
1.
not hesitating or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger or rebuff; courageous and daring: a bold hero.
2.
not hesitating to break the rules of propriety; forward; impudent: He apologized for being so bold as to speak to the emperor.
3.
necessitating courage and daring; challenging: a bold adventure.
4.
beyond the usual limits of conventional thought or action; imaginative: Einstein was a bold mathematician. a difficult problem needing a bold answer.
5.
striking or conspicuous to the eye; flashy; showy: a bold pattern.
6.
steep; abrupt: a bold promontory.
7.
Nautical. deep enough to be navigable close to the shore: bold waters.
8.
Printing. typeset in boldface.
9.
Obsolete. trusting; assured.
10.
be/make (so) bold, to presume or venture; dare: I made bold to offer my suggestion.
00:10
Bold
is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
Origin:
before 1000; Middle English bald, bold, Old English b(e)ald; cognate with Old Saxon, Old High German bald, Dutch boud bold, Old Norse ballr dire < Germanic *bál-tha-z; akin to Welsh balch proud, Irish balc strong < *bal-ko-
before 1000; Middle English bald, bold, Old English b(e)ald; cognate with Old Saxon, Old High German bald, Dutch boud bold, Old Norse ballr dire < Germanic *bál-tha-z; akin to Welsh balch proud, Irish balc strong < *bal-ko-
Related forms
bold·ly, adverb
bold·ness, noun
o·ver·bold, adjective
o·ver·bold·ly, adverb
o·ver·bold·ness, noun
su·per·bold, adjective
su·per·bold·ly, adverb
su·per·bold·ness, noun
un·bold, adjective
un·bold·ly, adverb
un·bold·ness, noun
Synonyms
1. fearless, adventurous, brave, valiant, intrepid, valorous, dauntless. 2. Bold, brazen, forward, presumptuous may refer to manners in a derogatory way. Bold suggests impudence, shamelessness, and immodesty: a bold stare. Brazen suggests the same, together with a defiant manner: a brazen liar. Forward implies making oneself unduly prominent or bringing oneself to notice with too much assurance. Presumptuous implies overconfidence, effrontery, taking too much for granted.
1. fearless, adventurous, brave, valiant, intrepid, valorous, dauntless. 2. Bold, brazen, forward, presumptuous may refer to manners in a derogatory way. Bold suggests impudence, shamelessness, and immodesty: a bold stare. Brazen suggests the same, together with a defiant manner: a brazen liar. Forward implies making oneself unduly prominent or bringing oneself to notice with too much assurance. Presumptuous implies overconfidence, effrontery, taking too much for granted.
Antonyms
2. modest.
2. modest.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To Bold
Collins
World English Dictionary
bold (bəʊld) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | courageous, confident, and fearless; ready to take risks |
| 2. | showing or requiring courage: a bold plan |
| 3. | immodest or impudent: she gave him a bold look |
| 4. | standing out distinctly; conspicuous: a figure carved in bold relief |
| 5. | very steep: the bold face of the cliff |
| 6. | imaginative in thought or expression: the novel's bold plot |
| 7. | printing set in bold face |
| —n | |
| 8. | printing short for bold face |
| [Old English beald; related to Old Norse ballr dangerous, terrible, baldinn defiant, Old High German bald bold] | |
| 'boldly | |
| —adv | |
| 'boldness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
bold
O.E. beald (W.Saxon), bald (Anglian) "bold, brave, confident, strong," from P.Gmc. *balthaz (cf. O.H.G. bald "bold, swift," in names such as Archibald, Leopold, Theobald; Goth. balþei "boldness;" O.N. ballr "frightful, dangerous"), perhaps from PIE *bhol-to- suffixed form of *bhel- (2) "to blow,
swell" (see bole). O.Fr. and Prov. baut "bold," It. baldo "bold, daring, fearless" are Germanic loan-words.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary
bold definition
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
bold
In addition to the idiom beginning with bold, also see big and bold; make bold.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Example sentences
Bold, striking vanities and cabinets are shown in maple espresso.
Nothing is invincible to the brave nor impregnable to the bold.
Rosés have enough of both acidity and bold fruitiness to be extremely flexible with food.
Damage to those big, bold, fleshy leaves is highly visible.
Idioms & Phrases
Nearby Words
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