Word Study
bulge
CIDE DICTIONARY
bulge, n. [OE. bulge a swelling; cf. AS. belgan to swell, OSw. bulgja, Icel. bōlginn swollen, OHG. belgan to swell, G. bulge leathern sack, Skr. b to be large, strong; the root meaning to swell. Cf. Bilge, Belly, Billow, Bouge, n. ].
- The bilge or protuberant part of a cask. [1913 Webster]
- A swelling, protuberant part; a bending outward, esp. when caused by pressure; as, a bulge in a wall. [1913 Webster]
- The bilge of a vessel. See Bilge, 2. [1913 Webster]
bulge, v. i.
- To swell or jut out; to bend outward, as a wall when it yields to pressure; to be protuberant; as, the wall bulges. [1913 Webster]
- To bilge, as a ship; to founder. [1913 Webster]"And scattered navies bulge on distant shores." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
bulge, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a convex part of an otherwise flat or flatter surface. b an irregular swelling; a lump.
2 colloq. a temporary increase in quantity or number (baby bulge).
3 Naut. the bilge of a ship.
4 Mil. a salient.
--v.
1 intr. swell outwards.
2 intr. be full or replete.
3 tr. swell (a bag, cheeks, etc.) by stuffing.
--n.
1 a a convex part of an otherwise flat or flatter surface. b an irregular swelling; a lump.
2 colloq. a temporary increase in quantity or number (baby bulge).
3 Naut. the bilge of a ship.
4 Mil. a salient.
--v.
1 intr. swell outwards.
2 intr. be full or replete.
3 tr. swell (a bag, cheeks, etc.) by stuffing.
Idiom
have (or get) the bulge on sl. have or get an advantage over.
Derivative
bulgingly adv. bulgy adj.
Etymology
ME f. OF boulge, bouge f. L bulga: see BUDGET
THESAURUS
bulge
advantage, allowance, bag, balloon, beetle, belly, belly out, bilge, billow, blain, bleb, blister, blob, boss, bouge, bow, bubble, bug, bulb, bulla, bump, bunch, burl, button, cahot, chine, clump, coign of vantage, condyle, convex, deadwood, dilate, distend, dowel, drop, ear, edge, expand, flange, flap, flying start, gall, gnarl, goggle, handicap, handle, head start, hill, hump, hunch, inside track, jog, joggle, jump, jut, knob, knot, knur, knurl, lip, loop, lump, mole, mountain, nevus, nub, nubbin, nubble, odds, overhand, overhang, papilloma, peg, poke, pooch, pop, pouch, pout, project, projection, protrude, protrusion, protuberance, protuberate, rib, ridge, ring, round out, running start, shoulder, something extra, something in reserve, spine, stand out, start, stick out, stud, style, swell, swell out, swelling, tab, tubercle, tubercule, upper hand, vantage, vantage ground, vantage point, verruca, vesicle, wale, wart, welt, whip handROGET THESAURUS
bulge
Convexity
N convexity, prominence, projection, swelling, gibbosity, bilge, bulge, protuberance, protrusion, camber, cahot, thank-ye-ma'am, swell, intumescence, tumour, tumor, tubercle, tuberosity, excrescence, hump, hunch, bunch, boss, embossment, hub, hubble, tooth, knob, elbow, process, apophysis, condyle, bulb, node, nodule, nodosity, tongue, dorsum, bump, clump, sugar loaf, bow, mamelon, molar, belly, corporation, pot belly, gut, withers, back, shoulder, lip, flange, pimple, zit, wen, wheel, papula, pustule, pock, proud flesh, growth, sarcoma, caruncle, corn, wart, pappiloma, furuncle, polypus, fungus, fungosity, exostosis, bleb, blister, blain, boil, airbubble, blob, papule, verruca, papilla, nipple, teat, tit, titty, boob, knocker, pap, breast, dug, mammilla, proboscis, nose, neb, beak, snout, nozzle, schnoz, peg, button, stud, ridge, rib, jutty, trunnion, snag, cupola, dome, arch, balcony, eaves, pilaster, relief, relievo, cameo, bassorilievo, mezzorilevo, altorivievo, low relief, bas relief, high relief, hill, cape, promontory, mull, forehead, foreland, point of land, mole, jetty, hummock, ledge, spur, naze, ness, convex, prominent, protuberant, projecting, bossed, embossed, bossy, nodular, bunchy, clavate, clavated, claviform, hummocky, moutonne, mammiliform, papulous, papilose, hemispheric, bulbous, bowed, arched, bold, bellied, tuberous, tuberculous, tumous, cornute, odontoid, lentiform, lenticular, gibbous, club shaped, hubby, hubbly, knobby, papillose, saddle-shaped, selliform, subclavate, torose, ventricose, verrucose, salient, in relief, raised, repousse, bloated, (expanded).VB be prominent, project, bulge, protrude, pout, bouge, bunch, jut out, stand out, stick out, poke out, stick up, bristle up, start up, cock up, shoot up, swell over, hang over, bend over, beetle, render prominent, raise, emboss, chase, belly out.
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