Library / English Dictionary

BUILD

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: built   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Constitution of the human body

Synonyms:

body-build; build; habitus; physique

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("build" is a kind of...):

bodily property (an attribute of the body)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "build"):

lankiness (a tall and thin physique)

dumpiness; squattiness (a short and stout physique)

body type; somatotype (a category of physique)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Alternative names for the body of a human being

Example:

the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

Synonyms:

anatomy; bod; build; chassis; figure; flesh; form; frame; human body; material body; physical body; physique; shape; soma

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("build" is a kind of...):

body; organic structure (the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "build"):

person (a human body (usually including the clothing))

juvenile body (the body of a young person)

adult body (the body of an adult human being)

male body (the body of a male human being)

female body (the body of a female human being)

Holonyms ("build" is a part of...):

individual; mortal; person; somebody; someone; soul (a human being)

homo; human; human being; man (any living or extinct member of the family Hominidae characterized by superior intelligence, articulate speech, and erect carriage)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Develop and grow

Example:

Suspense was building right from the beginning of the opera

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "build" is one way to...):

deepen; intensify (become more intense)

Verb group:

build; build up; progress; work up (form or accumulate steadily)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Form or accumulate steadily

Example:

Pressure is building up at the Indian-Pakistani border

Synonyms:

build; build up; progress; work up

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "build" is one way to...):

develop (grow, progress, unfold, or evolve through a process of evolution, natural growth, differentiation, or a conducive environment)

Verb group:

build (develop and grow)

build; build up; ramp up; work up (bolster or strengthen)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 3

Meaning:

Bolster or strengthen

Example:

ramp up security in the airports

Synonyms:

build; build up; ramp up; work up

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "build" is one way to...):

increase (make bigger or more)

Verb group:

build; build up; progress; work up (form or accumulate steadily)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Improve the cleansing action of

Example:

build detergents

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "build" is one way to...):

ameliorate; amend; better; improve; meliorate (to make better)

Domain category:

chemical science; chemistry (the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

builder (a substance added to soaps or detergents to increase their cleansing action)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Found or ground

Example:

build a defense on nothing but the accused person's reputation

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "build" is one way to...):

base; establish; found; ground (use as a basis for; found on)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Make by combining materials and parts

Example:

Some eccentric constructed an electric brassiere warmer

Synonyms:

build; construct; make

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "build" is one way to...):

create; make (make or cause to be or to become)

Verb group:

build (be engaged in building)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "build"):

channelise; channelize (make a channel for; provide with a channel)

corduroy (build (a road) from logs laid side by side)

erect; put up; raise; rear; set up (construct, build, or erect)

cantilever (construct with girders and beams such that only one end is fixed)

groin (build with groins)

rebuild; reconstruct (build again)

frame; frame up (construct by fitting or uniting parts together)

wattle (build of or with wattle)

lock (build locks in order to facilitate the navigation of vessels)

dry-wall (construct with drywall)

revet (construct a revetment)

customise; customize (make according to requirements)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

The men build the bookshelves

Derivation:

builder (someone who contracts for and supervises construction (as of a building))

building (the act of constructing something)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Build or establish something abstract

Example:

build a reputation

Synonyms:

build; establish

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "build" is one way to...):

create; make (make or cause to be or to become)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 8

Meaning:

Be engaged in building

Example:

These architects build in interesting and new styles

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "build" is one way to...):

create (pursue a creative activity; be engaged in a creative activity)

Verb group:

build; construct; make (make by combining materials and parts)

Domain category:

architecture (the discipline dealing with the principles of design and construction and ornamentation of fine buildings)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

building (the commercial activity involved in repairing old structures or constructing new ones)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Give form to, according to a plan

Example:

build a million-dollar business

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "build" is one way to...):

develop (make something new, such as a product or a mental or artistic creation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 10

Meaning:

Order, supervise, or finance the construction of

Example:

The government is building new schools in this state

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "build" is one way to...):

manage; oversee; superintend; supervise (watch and direct)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

building (the commercial activity involved in repairing old structures or constructing new ones)

Credits

 Context examples: 

A volume unit equal to one microliter used as a denominator to build a derived unit expressed as a ratio.

(Per Microliter, NCI Thesaurus)

A volume unit equal to one liter used as a denominator to build a derived unit expressed as a ratio.

(Per Liter, NCI Thesaurus)

A volume unit equal to one deciliter used as a denominator to build a derived unit expressed as a ratio.

(Per Deciliter, NCI Thesaurus)

A volume unit equal to one milliliter used as a denominator to build a derived unit expressed as a ratio.

(Per Milliliter, NCI Thesaurus)

This happens when plaque builds up on the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the arms and legs.

(Peripheral Arterial Disease, NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

The four who had boarded made straight before them for the building, shouting as they ran, and the men among the trees shouted back to encourage them.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

For example, physical therapy can be used to restore arm and shoulder movement and build back strength after breast cancer surgery.

(Physical therapy, NCI Dictionary)

A build up of oxygen radicals in cells may cause damage to DNA, RNA, and proteins, and may cause cell death.

(Oxygen radical, NCI Dictionary)

Any area outside a building or shelter.

(Outdoors, NCI Thesaurus)

The Norwegian Elkhound is a hardy, medium-sized Spitz-type dog, sturdy and squarely built with great stamina.

(Norwegian Elkhound, NCI Thesaurus)