bulge

[ buhlj ]
/ bʌldʒ /

noun

a rounded projection, bend, or protruding part; protuberance; hump: a bulge in a wall.
any sudden increase, as of numbers, sales, or prices: the bulge in profits.
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.

to swell or bend outward; be protuberant.
to be filled to capacity: The box bulged with cookies.

verb (used with object), bulged, bulg·ing.

to make protuberant; cause to swell.

Origin of bulge

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

SYNONYMS FOR bulge

4 protrude, project, stick out.

pronunciation note for bulge

See bulk1.

OTHER WORDS FROM bulge

bulg·ing·ly, adverb out·bulge, verb, out·bulged, out·bulg·ing.

Definition for bulge (2 of 2)

Bulge
[ buhlj ]
/ bʌldʒ /

noun

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.

Example sentences from the Web for bulge

British Dictionary definitions for bulge (1 of 2)

bulge
/ (bʌldʒ) /

noun

a swelling or an outward curve
a sudden increase in number or volume, esp of population
British another name for baby boom
British the projecting part of an army's front line; salient

verb

to swell outwards

Derived forms of bulge

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

Word Origin for bulge

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

British Dictionary definitions for bulge (2 of 2)

Bulge
/ (bʌldʒ) /

noun

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