4 a : a disease-producing germ
b : a disease caused by a germ
5 : a concealed listening device
6 : one who is ardently attached to a cause, object, or pursuit
— bug·gy adjective
Synonyms
[4b] affection, ailment, complaint, complication, condition, disease, disorder, fever, ill, illness, infirmity, malady, sickness, trouble—more at DISEASE
[6] addict, aficionado, buff, devotee, enthusiast, fan, fanatic, fancier, fiend, freak, lover, maniac, nut—more at FAN
2bug verb bugged; bug·ging 1 : to annoy esp. by petty provocation
2 : to plant a concealed microphone in
Synonyms
bait, hassle, heckle, needle, ride, taunt, tease—more at TEASE
aggravate, annoy, bother, chafe, exasperate, gall, get, grate, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rasp, rile, vex—more at IRRITATE
3bug verb bugged; bug·ging of the eyes : PROTRUDE, BULGE
bug·a·boo noun, plural -boos : an imaginary object of fear : BOGEY
bug·bear noun : an imaginary object of fear : BOGEY; also : a source of dread
Synonyms
bête noire, bogey, hobgoblin, ogre—more at BOGEY
bug·gy noun, plural buggies 1 : a light horse-drawn carriage
2 : a carriage for a baby
bu·gle noun [ORIGIN: ME, buffalo, instrument made of buffalo horn, bugle, fr. AF, fr. L buculus, dim. of bos head of cattle]
: a valveless brass instrument resembling a trumpet and used esp. for military calls
— bu·gler noun
bug out verb : to depart in a hurry; also : to flee in panic
1build verb built ; build·ing 1 a : to form or have formed by ordering and uniting materials <~ a house>
b : to develop or bring into being esp. according to a set plan
2 : to produce or create gradually <~ an argument on facts>
3 : to become progressively greater : INCREASE, ENLARGE; also : ENHANCE
4 : to engage in building
— build·er noun
Synonyms
[1a, 1b] assemble, construct, erect, fabricate, make, make up, piece, put up, raise, rear, set up; also fashion, forge, frame, manufacture, mold, produce, shape
Antonyms
disassemble, dismantle, take down
usually build up [2] carve, forge, grind, hammer, work out
usually build up [3] accumulate, appreciate, balloon, burgeon, enhance, enlarge, escalate, expand, increase, mount, multiply, mushroom, proliferate, rise, snowball, swell, wax—more at INCREASE
2build noun : form or mode of structure; especially : PHYSIQUE
Synonyms
constitution, figure, form, frame, physique, shape—more at PHYSIQUE
build·ing noun 1 : a usu. roofed and walled structure (as a house) for permanent use
2 : the art or business of constructing buildings
build·up noun : the act or process of building up; also : something produced by this
built–in adjective 1 : forming an integral part of a structure
2 : INHERENT
bulb noun 1 : an underground resting stage of a plant (as a lily or an onion) consisting of a short stem base bearing one or more buds enclosed in overlapping leaves; also : a fleshy plant structure (as a tuber) resembling a bulb
2 : a plant having or growing from a bulb
3 : a rounded more or less bulb-shaped object or part (as for an electric lamp)
— bul·bous adjective
Bul·gar·i·an noun : a native or inhabitant of Bulgaria
— Bulgarian adjective
1bulge verb bulged; bulg·ing : to become or cause to become protuberant
Synonyms
bag, balloon, beetle, belly, billow, overhang, poke, project, protrude, start, stick out; also dome
2bulge noun : a swelling projecting part
Synonyms
overhang, projection, protrusion; also dome
Antonyms
concavity, dent, depression, hollow, indentation, pit
bu·li·mia noun 1 : an abnormal and constant craving for food
2 : a serious eating disorder chiefly of females that is characterized by compulsive overeating usu. followed by self-induced vomiting or laxative or diuretic abuse
— bu·lim·ic adjective or noun
1bulk noun 1 : MAGNITUDE, VOLUME
2 : material