bulbbulb /bʌlb/ ●●○ noun [countable] 
the glass part of an electric light, that the light shines from SYN light bulb: 
a 100-watt bulb2a root shaped like a ball that grows into a flower or plant: tulip bulbs
WORD ORIGINbulb
Origin:
1500-1600 Latin bulbus, from Greek bolbos ‘plant with a bulb’EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- An outside cistern could be kept from freezing by hanging a light bulb near it and leaving it on all the time.
- Before buying, check that maintenance and bulb cleaning can be carried out easily and safely.
- Halogen lamps give excellent service, hut the bulbs are fairly expensive to replace.
- I was lying there, thinking that the bulb needed changing, the ceiling could use another coat.
- They stole my narcissus bulbs that I had been so carefully forcing to bloom in January.
- Which leads to the brightest bulb in the Sheffield chandelier of pop, the Longpigs.
THESAURUS
something that produces light, especially electric light, to help you to see: · She switched the kitchen light on.· The lights in the house were all off.
an object that produces light by using electricity, oil, or gas – often used in names of lights: · a bedside lamp· a street lamp· a desk lamp· a table lamp· an old oil lamp· a paraffin lamp
a lamp that you can carry, consisting of a metal container with glass sides that surrounds a flame or light: · The miners used lanterns which were lit by candles.
British English, flashlight American English a small electric lamp that you carry in your hand: · We shone our torches around the cavern.
a stick of wax with a string through the middle, which you burn to give light: · The restaurant was lit by candles.
the glass part of an electric light, that the light shines from: · a 100 watt bulb· an energy-saving light bulb
a living thing that has leaves and roots and grows in earth, especially one that is smaller than a tree: · Don’t forget to water the plants.· Plants grow towards the sun.· Botanists examined plant species from around the world.
a small plant that is used to improve the taste of food, or to make medicine: · Sprinkle the dish with chopped fresh herbs.· medicinal herbs (=used as medicine)· The shop sells an interesting range of herbs and spices.
a wild plant growing where it is not wanted that prevents crops or garden flowers from growing properly: · She was pulling up weeds in her garden.· Herbicides can be used to prevent and control weeds.
a root shaped like a ball that grows into a flower or plant: · She planted hundreds of daffodil bulbs.
a small bush with several woody stems: · flowering shrubs· Rosemary is an evergreen shrub.
WORD SETSaerobic, adjectiveafterbirth, nounalgae, nounalimentary canal, nounamber, nounameba, nounamino acid, nounamoeba, nounanaconda, nounanaerobic, adjectiveandrogynous, adjectiveantibody, nounantigen, nounantitoxin, nounappendage, nounarm, nounarmour, nounasexual, adjectiveassimilation, nounatrophy, verbaviary, nounbacteria, nounbacteriology, nounbarnacle, nounbile, nounbinocular vision, nounbio-, prefixbiochemistry, nounbiodegradable, adjectivebiodiversity, nounbiohazard, nounbiological, adjectivebiological clock, nounbiology, nounbiomass, nounbiome, nounbiosphere, nounblind, nounbrain, nounbreathe, verbbreed, verbbreed, nounbreeding, nounbristle, nounbulb, nouncapsule, nouncarbohydrate, nouncarbon dioxide, nouncarnivore, nouncell, nouncellular, adjectivecellulose, nouncentral nervous system, nouncervical, adjectivecholesterol, nounchromosome, nouncirculation, nouncirculatory, adjectiveclass, nounclone, nouncold-blooded, adjectiveconceive, verbconch, nounconnective tissue, nouncopulate, verbcoral reef, nouncornea, nouncoronary, adjectivecorpuscle, nouncortex, nouncortisone, nouncowrie, nouncrab, nouncrawfish, nouncrayfish, nouncreature, nouncross, verbcrossbreed, nounculture, nouncytoplasm, noundecay, verbdecay, noundecompose, verbdefecate, verbdenizen, noundextrose, noundiaphragm, noundigest, verbdigestion, noundigestive, adjectiveDNA, noundorsal, adjectivedry rot, nounduct, noundwarf, noundwarf, adjectiveecological, adjectiveecology, nounecosystem, nounegg, nounejaculate, verbembryo, nounembryonic, adjectiveenzyme, nounepidermis, nounevolution, nounevolutionary, adjectiveexcrement, nounexcrescence, nounexcrete, verbexcretion, nounexhale, verbexoskeleton, nounextinction, nounfaeces, nounfamily, nounfang, nounfat, nounfatty acid, nounfauna, nounfeces, nounfeed, verbfemale, adjectivefemale, nounferment, verbferment, nounfertile, adjectivefertility, nounfertilize, verbfission, nounflank, nounflatulence, nounflesh, nounfleshy, adjectiveflightless, adjectiveflora, nounfoetal, adjectivefoetus, nounfoliage, nounfossil, nounfreak, nounfreshwater, adjectivefructose, noungamete, nounganglion, noungene, noungene pool, noungenera, genetic, adjectivegenetic code, noungenetic engineering, noungenetic fingerprinting, noungenetics, noungenome, noungenus, noungestation, noungland, nounglandular, adjectiveglucose, noungluten, noungonad, noungrass snake, noungrow, verbgrowth, nounhabitat, nounhaemoglobin, nounhearing, nounheart, nounhemisphere, nounherbivore, nounhereditary, adjectiveheredity, nounhermaphrodite, nounhibernate, verbhistamine, nounhoming, adjectivehormone, nounhost, nounimpregnate, verbimpulse, nounincubate, verbindigenous, adjectiveinfected, adjectiveinfertile, adjectiveinfest, verbingest, verbinhale, verbinseminate, verbinsensate, adjectiveinsulin, nounintegument, nounintercourse, nouninterferon, nounintestine, nouninvertebrate, nouninvoluntary, adjectiveiris, nounjaw, nounjelly, nounkidney, nounkrill, nounlactate, verblactation, nounlactic acid, nounleech, nounleg, nounlesser, adjectivelichen, nounlife, nounlife cycle, nounlife form, nounligament, nounlimb, nounlimpet, nounlipid, nounliver, nounliving fossil, nounlocomotion, nounlymph, nounlymph node, nounmale, adjectivemale, nounmammal, nounmandible, nounmate, nounmate, verbmembrane, nounmetabolism, nounmetabolize, verbmetamorphosis, nounmicrobe, nounmicrobiology, nounmicroorganism, nounmicroscopic, adjectivemigrate, verbmigratory, adjectivemiscarriage, nounmolar, nounmorphology, nounmotor, adjectivemould, nounmouth, nounmucous membrane, nounmucus, nounmulticellular, adjectivemuscle, nounmuscular, adjectivemutant, nounmutate, verbmutation, nounnatural history, nounnatural selection, nounnature, nounneck, nounnectar, nounnerve, nounnervous, adjectivenervous system, nounneural, adjectiveneuro-, prefixneurology, nounnode, nounnose, nounnostril, nounnucleic acid, nounnucleus, nounnutrient, nounnutriment, nounoesophagus, nounoestrogen, nounolfactory, adjectiveoptic, adjectiveorgan, nounorganic, adjectiveorganic chemistry, nounorganism, nounorifice, nounossify, verbosteo-, prefixoutgrowth, nounova, ovary, nounoverwinter, verboviduct, nounoviparous, adjectiveovulate, verbovum, nounparasite, nounpathogen, nounpedigree, nounpelvic, adjectivepelvis, nounpenile, adjectivepenis, nounpepsin, nounperiod, nounperspiration, nounperspire, verbphotosynthesis, nounphylum, nounpigment, nounpigmentation, nounplankton, nounplasma, nounpollinate, verbpostnatal, adjectivepregnancy, nounpregnant, adjectivepremature, adjectiveprenatal, adjectiveproduct, nounproliferation, nounpropagate, verbprotein, nounprotoplasm, nounprotozoan, nounpuberty, nounpulmonary, adjectivepulp, nounpulsation, nounputrefy, verbputrid, adjectivered blood cell, nounregurgitate, verbrenal, adjectivereproduce, verbreproduction, nounreproductive, adjectiverespiration, nounrespiratory, adjectiverespire, verbretina, nounroot, nounrot, verbrot, nounruff, nounsac, nounsaliva, nounsalivary gland, nounsalivate, verbsaltwater, adjectivescale, nounscallop, nounscaly, adjectivesebaceous, adjectivesecrete, verbsecretion, nounsemen, nounsense organ, nounsensory, adjectiveserum, nounsex, nounsex, verbsexless, adjectivesexual intercourse, nounsheath, nounshell, nounsibling, nounskeletal, adjectiveskeleton, nounskin, nounskull, nounspasm, nounspasmodic, adjectivespecies, nounspecimen, nounsperm, nounspiderweb, nounspinal cord, nounspine, nounspineless, adjectivestarch, nounstem cell, nounstimulate, verbstimulus, nounstrain, nounsubject, nounsubspecies, nounsucker, nounsucrose, nounsweat, verbsweat, nounsweat gland, nounsymbiosis, nounsystemic, adjectivetail, nountaxonomy, nounteeth, testosterone, nountest-tube baby, nountissue, nountrachea, nountube, noununicellular, adjectiveurethra, nounuric, adjectiveurinate, verburine, nounvariety, nounvector, nounvein, nounvenom, nounvenomous, adjectiveventricle, nounvertebra, nounvertebrate, nounvivisection, nounwarm-blooded, adjectivewean, verbwildlife, nounwindpipe, nounyolk, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES a 100–watt bulbCOLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
1 a 100–watt bulb· Benny found herself in a rock-walled tunnel, with bare bulbs hanging from the ceiling at regular intervals.· BLit by a bare fluorescent bulb, the room is filled with flies.· Out here in the main space, bare bulbs hang from long flexes.· Illegal light connections have been made, loops of wire with bare bulbs.· There was no natural light, just a bare bulb.· The bathroom door swings open and the light is on, the bare bright bulb.· A bare bulb illuminates the scene.
· The two patients in whom the lesion was not reached had ulcers located in the inferior and posterior wall of duodenal bulb.· In 38 patients endoscopy showed focal abnormalities or signs of diffuse inflammation of the duodenal bulb.· To determine the extent of gastric metaplasia, multiple biopsy specimens were collected from standardised sites of the duodenal bulb.
· A low-powered electric bulb hung starkly from a wire overhead.· And flanking the tracks on the far side, a metropolis: Brunswick had electric light bulbs, telephones, radios.· The demand for electric light bulbs quickly became phenomenal and continued at a very high rate for many years.· Use long-life electric bulbs in places that do not require a high concentration of light, such as hallways and closets.· A single electric bulb dangled from the ceiling.· These gas mantles brought new life to gas lighting just when it was threatened by Swan's electric light bulbs.· While in his bedroom, he saw the electric bulbs light up.· They will also dance to an electric light bulb as if it were the sun.
· The Scenes of Crime Officer walked in and the fluorescent bulbs on the ceiling flickered into life.· A special fluorescent plant bulb will do much toward providing the proper light.· BLit by a bare fluorescent bulb, the room is filled with flies.· Torture King places a circular fluorescent light bulb on his head and touches an open electrical circuit.
· It is Roy Spring who climbs the spire to replace the red warning light bulbs on the top.· He could even remember the time he picked out six yellow goslings from a box kept warm by a light bulb.· Replace light bulbs with low-energy ones.· The bottles hold light bulbs now.· They run cool, whereas light bulbs may overheat the water in warm weather.· There were light bulbs representing the stars and line drawings of the celestial figures.· The public buildings are floodlit and on all the main roads in and out of Funchal appear strings of white light bulbs.
· Below, a tightly-packed steel chamber, dark but for a few naked bulbs, was filled with squat metal ten-gallon drums.· A lone naked bulb dangled from the ceiling.· A very powerful naked light bulb hung from the office ceiling.· A naked bulb burning in the passageway.· Just me and the heat and the naked bulb.· She turned, all flaxen and pink and white, haloed by the naked light bulbs round the mirror.· A motorbike and sidecar was illuminated by light from the naked bulb inside the kitchen.
· A single electric bulb dangled from the ceiling.· A single bulb hung from the ceiling and some one had adorned it with a preposterously frilly white shade.· In the half-light from the single landing bulb, he took what seemed to Constance an age to open it.· Four single bulbs under tin covers lit the entire station, and the air smelled of coal and damp earth.· The light, a single bulb in an ethnic basket, was suspended from the ceiling and lit just the table.· A dim light came from the single electric bulb in the ceiling of the room.
· Theatre dressing room-style fittings with small golf ball bulbs are especially effective.· A small light bulb next to the assistant indicates that it has some helpful advice to offer.· The small bulb inside exploded into life, displaying his clothes.· The plant is propagated by way of small bulbs which develop on the main bulb from time to time.· It was illuminated by a small bulb between the two thicknesses of the bulkhead.· In the centre was a small wizened bulb like a tiny onion.
NOUN· Another type of light bulb you may come across is the tungsten halogen bulb.· Some are fitted with halogen bulbs for overall punch, or spots to light specific objects or to highlight.
· Next week we could be warning, exposing, or revealing the truth about anything from holidays to your spring bulbs.· The ageing orchard is full of spring bulbs and old fruit trees.
· These rocks are covered in algae after being in a small tank under an ordinary 60 watt bulb and not containing fish.· That table top was screaming with reflected light from a two-hundred-watt bulb overhead.· Is it a 50 watt bulb that a child's been scribbling on with a black felt tip pen?· It was a sixty watt bulb but after the darkness it made everyone blink.· If it is much less, try using a 40 watt bulb instead.
VERB· If you wanted to buy an ordinary bulb, you had to ask for it specially.· Our super-saver offer for this week: you can buy 50 bulbs for only £4.95.· Bulbs At the last Parish Council meeting it was agreed to buy some bulbs for planting around the centre of the village.· I bought the bulb like you said.
· Another joke: How much does it cost to change a light bulb?· Q: How many high-tech artists does it take to change a light bulb?· She tries to get me to do things around the house, like changing light bulbs and things like that.· Yesterday, I had to change a headlamp bulb on my car.· It just made it hard to change the bulb.
· Members also agreed to ask Darlington Borough Council to plant some more bulbs on the village green.· If you missed planting your bulbs in the fall, you can still get color by planting them from 4-inch containers.· If most of the plants have finished, discard them and plant up with spring-flowering bulbs or winter-interest dwarf shrubs.· Ordinary plant pots can also be planted with bulbs.
· Instead they have used block votes like bulbs of garlic - to keep away the vampires of the left.· You can not use bulbs for a 20-lamp set in a 40-lamp one, or viceversa.· However, fluorescent light can damage the eye, so if there is a choice of lighting, use ordinary light bulbs.· On the whole, Chris finds his plants grow better using normal light bulbs, rather than fluorescent tubes.· If it is much less, try using a 40 watt bulb instead.
the glass part of an electric light, that the light shines from SYN light bulb: a 100-watt bulb2a root shaped like a ball that grows into a flower or plant: tulip bulbs