build

English Online Dictionary. What means build‎? What does build mean?

English

Etymology

From Middle English bilden, bulden, bylden, from Old English byldan and bytlan, bytlian (“to build”), from Proto-West Germanic *buþlijan (“to build”), from Proto-Germanic *buþlą, *bōþlą (“house, dwelling, farm”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to become, grow, thrive, be, live, dwell”). Related to Old English botl (“building, house”). More at bottle.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɪld/
• Rhymes: -ɪld
• Homophone: billed

Verb

build (third-person singular simple present builds, present participle building, simple past and past participle built or (archaic or poetic) builded)

1. (transitive) To form (something) by combining materials or parts.
2. (transitive) To develop or give form to (something) according to a plan or process.
3. (transitive) To increase or strengthen (something) by adding gradually to.
4. (transitive) To establish a basis for (something).
5. (intransitive) To form by combining materials or parts.
6. (intransitive) To develop in magnitude or extent.
7. (transitive, computing) To construct (software) by compiling its source code.
8. (intransitive, computing, of source code) To be converted into software by compilation, usually with minimal human intervention.

Usage notes

• The simple past tense and past participle used to be builded; however, that form is now archaic, having been superseded by the form built.

  I have seen Him in the watchfires of a hundred circling camps / They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps. (Julia Ward Howe, Battle Hymn of the Republic - 1861)

Conjugation

Synonyms

• (to form by combining materials or parts): construct, erect
• (to develop or give form to according to a plan or process): create
• (to increase or strengthen by adding gradually to): build up, enlarge, increase, strengthen
• (to establish a basis for): base, found, ground

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “to form by combining materials or parts”): demolish, destroy, ruin, wreck
• (antonym(s) of “to increase or strengthen by adding gradually to”): decrease, dissipate, weaken

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

build (countable and uncountable, plural builds)

2. (countable, uncountable) The physique of a human or animal body, or other object; constitution or structure.
3. (computing, countable) Any of various versions of a software product as it is being developed for release to users.

4. (countable) The process or period of constructing a physical object.

5. (gaming, slang, countable) A structure, such as a building, statue, pool or forest, or a configuration of a character's items or skills, created by the player.

Derived terms

• sleeper build

Translations

References

Chinese

Etymology

From clipping of English building. Compare Japanese ビル.

Pronunciation

Noun

build

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese, colloquial, only in compounds) building

   main build [Cantonese]  ―  ming¹ biu¹ [Jyutping]  ―  main building