build

(bĭld)

v., built (bĭlt), build·ing, builds.

v.tr.

1. To form by combining materials or parts; construct.
2. To order, finance, or supervise the construction of: The administration built several new housing projects.
3. To develop or give form to according to a plan or process; create: build a nation; built a successful business out of their corner grocery store.
4. To increase or strengthen by adding gradually to: money building interest in a savings account; build support for a political candidate.
5. To establish a basis for; found or ground: build an argument on fact.

v.intr.

1. To make something by combining materials or parts.
2. To engage in the construction or design of buildings: "Each of the three architects built in a different style" (Dwight Macdonald).
3. To develop in magnitude or extent: clouds building on the horizon.
4. To progress toward a maximum, as of intensity: suspense building from the opening scene to the climax.

n.

1. The physical makeup of a person or thing; physique: an athletic build.
2. Computer Science. Any of various versions of a software product as it is being developed for release to users.

phrasal verbs:

build in or into

1. To construct or include as an integral part of: a wall with shelving that was built in; build stability into the economy.

build on or upon

1. To use as a basis or foundation: We must build on our recent success.

build up

1. To develop or increase in stages or by degrees: built up the business; building up my endurance for the marathon.
2. To accumulate or collect: sediment building up on the ocean floor.
3. To bolster: build up the product with a massive ad campaign; built up my hopes after the interview.
4. To fill up (an area) with buildings.

idiom:

build on sand

1. To provide with an unstable foundation: Having bought only high-risk stocks, my portfolio was built on sand.

[Middle English bilden, from Old English byldan.]

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(1) (verb) To compile a program. See build tool.

(2) (noun) A version of a program. A build number is assigned to newly compiled instances of a program under development. When published, a version number is typically assigned to the software, and the build number is hidden. Occasionally, software development tools retain their build number rather than replacing it with a version number. See gold code and build tool.

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To construct.

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also build up

verb

1. To make or form (a structure): construct, erect, put up, raise, rear. See make/unmake.
2. To create by forming, combining, or altering materials: assemble, construct, fabricate, fashion, forge, frame, make, manufacture, mold, produce, put together, shape. See make/unmake.
3. To create by combining parts or elements: compose, configure, form, pattern, shape, structure. See make/unmake.
4. To make or become greater or larger: aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, build up, burgeon, enlarge, escalate, expand, extend, grow, increase, magnify, mount, multiply, proliferate, rise, run up, snowball, soar, swell, upsurge, wax. Informal beef up. See increase/decrease.
5. To provide a basis for: base, establish, found, ground, predicate, rest, root, underpin. See over/under.

phrasal verb - build in

To construct or include as an integral or permanent part: incorporate, integrate,, include/exclude.

phrasal verb - build up

1. To achieve an increase of gradually: develop, gain. See increase/decrease.
2. To make or become greater or larger: aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, build, burgeon, enlarge, escalate, expand, extend, grow, increase, magnify, mount, multiply, proliferate, rise, run up, snowball, soar, swell, upsurge, wax. Informal beef up. See increase/decrease.
3. To make known vigorously the positive features of (a product): advertise, ballyhoo, cry (up), popularize, promote, publicize, talk up. Informal pitch, plug. Slang push. See knowledge/ignorance.
4. To increase or seek to increase the importance or reputation of by favorable publicity: ballyhoo, boost, enhance, promote, publicize, puff, talk up, tout. Informal plug. Slang hype. See knowledge/ignorance.

noun

The physical or constitutional characteristics of a person: constitution, habit, habitus, physique. See body/spirit.

Idioms beginning with build:
build down
build in
build on

See also light (build) a fire under. Also see under built.

n

Definition: physical structure, form
Antonyms: mind

v

Definition: construct structure
Antonyms: demolish, destroy, dismantle, knock down, raze, ruin, take down, tear down

v

Definition: increase, accelerate
Antonyms: decelerate, decrease, destroy, ruin

v

Definition: initiate, found
Antonyms: destroy, overthrow, overturn, ruin

IN BRIEF: Make by combining materials and parts.

If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door. — Milton Berle, American comedian and entertainer, television, movies and stage, one of 1st Emmy Awards.

Tutor's tip: The person with the sturdy build (physique) is going to build (construct) my house, and she already billed (past tense of to charge) me for it.

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For a list of words related to build, see:

• Aspects and Components of Appearance - build: muscular development and posture; form of one’s body
• Fabrication and Manufacturing Processes - build: (vb) construct from different elements to form unified whole

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See words rhyming with "build."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Build.

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Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - bygge, opføre
v. intr. - bygge på, basere på
n. - kropsbygning, skikkelse

idioms:

• build bridges    bygge bro (mellem)
• build on    tilbygge, bygge til
• build one's hopes up    sætte næsen op efter
• build up    opbygge, oparbejde
• build up to    forberede gradvist
• build upon    bygge på, basere på

Nederlands (Dutch)
(op)bouwen, aanleggen, metselen, timmeren, oprichten, lichaamsbouw, gestalte, vorm

Français (French)
v. tr. - bâtir, faire édifier, faire (nid), (fig) construire, fonder, former
v. intr. - bâtir, se bâtir, (fig) bâtir
n. - carrure, anatomie, charpente

idioms:

• build bridges    jeter des ponts, pratiquer une politique d'ouverture
• build in    (lit) encastrer dans, (fig) intégrer à
• build into    encastrer dans
• build on    ajouter à
• build one's hopes up    faire naître l'espoir
• build up    se développer, s'accumuler, augmenter, édifier (une réputation), monter (une affaire), échafauder (une théorie), accroître (une production), accumuler (une pression), faire monter (la tension), urbaniser, (fig) faire de la publicité pour
• build up to    atteindre
• build upon    construire sur, se baser sur

Deutsch (German)
v. - bauen, aufbauen, zusammenbauen, mauern
n. - Körperbau, Bauweise

idioms:

• build bridges    Brücken schlagen
• build in    etwas (als Teil) zu etwas Anderes zusammenschließen
• build into    etwas (al Teil) zu etwas Anderes zusammenschließen
• build on    anbauen, bebauen, aufbauen auf
• build one's hopes up    jmdm. falsche Hoffnungen machen
• build up    anschwellen, zunehmen
• build up to    sich steigern zu
• build upon    sich verlassen auf

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - χτίζω, ανεγείρω, οικοδομώ, κατασκευάζω, φτιάχνω, ναυπηγώ, δυναμώνω, αυξάνω σε ένταση
n. - σωματική διάπλαση, παράστημα, κορμοστασιά, κατασκευή, μορφή, σουλούπι, φτιαξιά

idioms:

• build bridges    χτίζω γέφυρες, επανασυνδέω
• build on    υπολογίζω σε, στηρίζομαι σε
• build one's hopes up    δίνω αβάσιμες ελπίδες
• build up    συσσωρεύομαι, ενδυναμώνω, ενισχύω, πυκνοχτίζω, προβάλλω, διαφημίζω
• build up to    αναδεικνύω
• build upon    υπολογίζω σε, στηρίζομαι σε

Italiano (Italian)
costruire, montare, fabbricare, edificare, corporatura

idioms:

• build on    basarsi
• build up    aumentare
• build up to    prendere esempio da
• build upon    fondare su

Português (Portuguese)
v. - construir, desenvolver, estabelecer
n. - construção (f), talhe (m)

idioms:

• build on    adicionar, basear-se
• build up    aumentar
• build up to    elogiar alguém
• build upon    adicionar, basear-se

Русский (Russian)
строить, складывать, конструкция, телосложение

idioms:

• build on    зиждиться на
• build up    популяризировать, застраивать
• build up to    основывать
• build upon    зиждиться на

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - establecer, preparar, componer, ensamblar, montar, empotrar, incorporar, edificar, basar, construir, mampostear
v. intr. - construir sobre, confiar en, contar con
n. - configuración del cuerpo, hechura, forma, figura, talle

idioms:

• build bridges    establecer puentes de contacto entre partes hostiles
• build in    empotrado
• build into    empotrado
• build on    basar, contar con
• build one's hopes up    hacerse ilusiones
• build up    aumentar, crear, fortalecer
• build up to    intensificarse, aumentarse
• build upon    basarse en, contar con, confiar en

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - bygga, upprätta, skapa
n. - byggnad, konstruktion

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
建筑, 建立, 造, 发展, 建造, 增长, 扩大, 构造, 体格

idioms:

• build bridges    建立联系
• build on    建立于, 指望
• build one's hopes up    使某人充满希望
• build up    增进, 使增大
• build up to    越来越...
• build upon    指望, 依赖, 建立于

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 建築, 建立, 造, 發展
v. intr. - 建造, 建築, 增長, 擴大
n. - 構造, 體格

idioms:

• build bridges    建立聯繫
• build on    建立於, 指望
• build one's hopes up    使某人充滿希望
• build up    增進, 使增大
• build up to    越來越...
• build upon    指望, 依賴, 建立於

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - ~을 짓다, 조립하다, ~을 훈련시키다
v. intr. - 건축하다, 믿다, 증가하다
n. - 구조, 체격, 고조

idioms:

• build on    ~의 위에 쌓다, ~에 의지하다
• build up    쌓아 올리다, 부흥시키다, 점차 늘다
• build up to    ~을 하기를 또는 말 하기를 원하다
• build upon    ~의 위에 쌓다, ~에 의지하다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 建てる, 家を建てる, 築く, 形成する, 作る, 組み立てる, 築き上げる
n. - 造り, 体格

idioms:

• build bridges    橋渡しをする
• build on    基づかせる, あてにする
• build up    築き上げる, 確立する, 増進させる, ほめ上げる, 建物で囲む
• build up to    作り上げる
• build upon    基礎を置く

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يشيد, يبني (الاسم) بنيه أو هيئه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮בנה, יצר, ייסד, פיתח‬
v. intr. - ‮בנה, יצר‬
n. - ‮מבנה הגוף, צורה, סגנון בנייה‬

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