bulge

[ buhlj ]
See synonyms for bulge on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a rounded projection, bend, or protruding part; protuberance; hump: a bulge in a wall.

  2. any sudden increase, as of numbers, sales, or prices: the bulge in profits.

  1. 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.
  1. to swell or bend outward; be protuberant.

  2. to be filled to capacity: The box bulged with cookies.

verb (used with object),bulged, bulg·ing.
  1. to make protuberant; cause to swell.

Origin of bulge

1
1200–50; Middle English: bag, hump <Old French <Latin bulga bag <Celtic; compare Irish bolg bag

pronunciation note For bulge

See bulk1.

Other words for bulge

Other words from bulge

  • bulg·ing·ly, adverb
  • outbulge, verb, out·bulged, out·bulg·ing.

Other definitions for Bulge (2 of 2)

Bulge
[ buhlj ]

noun
  1. 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. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for bulge (1 of 2)

bulge

/ (bʌldʒ) /


noun
  1. a swelling or an outward curve

  2. a sudden increase in number or volume, esp of population

  1. British another name for baby boom

  2. British the projecting part of an army's front line; salient

verb
  1. to swell outwards

Origin of bulge

1
C13: from Old French bouge, from Latin bulga bag, probably of Gaulish origin

Derived forms of bulge

  • bulging, adjective
  • bulgingly, adverb
  • bulgy, adjective
  • bulginess, noun

British Dictionary definitions for Bulge (2 of 2)

Bulge

/ (bʌldʒ) /


noun
  1. 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

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