bulk1 nounbulk2 adjectivebulk3 verb
bulkbulk1 /bʌlk/ ●○○ AWL noun 
WORD ORIGINbulk1
Origin:
1400-1500 Old Norse bulki ‘goods carried on a ship’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- For its bulk, the whale is a graceful swimmer.
- Let the dough rise until it is double in bulk.
- But the bulk of the chemical run-off binds to particulates and is concentrated rather than dispersed evenly through the water column.
- He saw the pond they called the lake and the grey bulk of the Mithraeum on the farther shore.
- The bulk of the mound towered over Mungo, intimidating him.
- The great bulk of the evidence from the town, however, concerns pottery production and iron-working.
- The participating banks collectively provide the bulk of the funds.
- Undergraduate majors form the bulk of most economic professors' workloads.
THESAURUS
noun [countable, uncountable] how big someone or something is: · What size is that shirt?· The price will depend on the size and quality of the carpet.· Your desk is exactly the same size as mine.· Fire has destroyed an area of forest the size of Luxembourg.· The seeds are very small, about half the size of a grain of salt.· There were several pieces of wood of different sizes.· Cover the dough and allow it to rise until it has doubled in size.· The black spots on her skin seemed to be slowly increasing in size.· The American states vary enormously in size, from very large to very small.· In a class this size, there will always be a few problems.
noun [plural] the length, width, and height of an object, room, building etc: · What are the dimensions of the table?
noun [plural] the length, width, or height of something, or of someone’s body: · I need to check the measurements of the window.· Your waist measurement is 31 inches.· The nurse took my measurements.
noun [plural] the relative sizes of the different parts of an object, room, building etc: · The proportions don’t look right to me.· You can sit in the Plaza and admire the proportions of the cathedral.
noun [countable, uncountable] the amount of space that a flat surface such as a floor or field covers: · To measure the area of a room, you need to multiply the length by the width.
noun [uncountable] the size of a large area: · The extent of the ranch is enormous.· The island measured about 1,600 kilometres in extent.
noun [uncountable] the very large size of something: · The statue’s massive bulk made it difficult to move.· his enormous bulk· The view was dominated by the huge bulk of the power station.
noun [singular] the amount that a container will hold: · The capacity of the tank is around 500 gallons.· The computer’s memory has a capacity of over 200 megabytes.· All the storage units were filled to capacity.
noun [singular] the amount of space that a substance fills, or that an object contains: · The average domestic swimming pool has a volume of 45,000 litres.· This instrument measures the volume of air in your lungs.· Help me figure out the volume of this fish tank.· The shifting of continents has an impact on the volume of water the oceans can contain.
Longman Language Activatorto buy a lot of something · You've been buying a lot of clothes recently. Have you decided to change your image?· We've bought lots of food and drink, so it should be a really good party.
to buy a large quantity of something you use regularly because you may not be able to buy it later, or because you are planning to use more of it than usual: · The supermarkets are full of people stocking up for the New Year's holiday.· We might as well stock up while we're here - it'll save us having to come back.stock up on: · We always stock up on cheap cigarettes when we go to Holland.
to buy a large quantity of something, especially because it is cheaper to buy a lot of it at one time: · We always buy in bulk. It is so much more economical.· Today more shoppers are using coupons and buying items in bulk.bulk buying (=buying goods in large quantities): · Bulk buying has enabled the company to cut costs.
if you buy something wholesale , you buy a large quantity of it directly from the company that makes it: · Mark buys the earrings wholesale and then sells them for a profit.· Let's see if we can get them wholesale and save ourselves a few dollars.
to quickly buy all of something such as land, tickets, food etc, when there is only a limited amount available: buy up something: · In the last five years development agencies have bought up almost all the land in the area.buy something up: · There weren't any good seats left for the game - some big company had bought them all up.
to buy goods from another country to be sold, used etc in your country, especially in large quantities: · The United States has to import some of its oil.import something from something: · Most of the wines served in this restaurant are imported from France.
British to buy enough of something to last for a long time, for example because it may be difficult to buy later: buy in something: · People had to buy in candles during the electricity strike.buy something in: · Villagers join together to buy enough food in to last throughout the winter.
most of an amount, group, or thing the largest number of people or things, or the largest part of something: · What most people want is a peaceful life.· Most restaurants open at 7.· Most evenings we just stay in and watch TV.· Most research suggests that health is related to social class.most of: · Most of the people I spoke to were very worried.· Alex spent most of his allowance on books.· I've lived here most of my life, so I know the area pretty well.
· He likes almost all kinds of popular music.· We got nearly all our food from the farm.· The bed occupied nearly all the space in the room.almost all/nearly all of · Nearly all of my clothes are too small now.· Almost all of the world's tropical forests are in developing countries.
more than half of the people or things in a large group: · A poll of Democrats shows that a majority support the President.the/a majority of: · In June the majority of our students will be taking examinations.· They claim their campaign is supported by a majority of residents.the vast/great/overwhelming majority (=far more than half): · The great majority of accidents in the Alps occur while climbers are coming down.· an education policy that will please the vast majority of parents
most of a large amount or number of something: · Throughout the Middle Ages, the bulk of the population lived in the country rather than in towns.· The bulk of the charity's income comes from private donations.
most of a period of time or of a distance, especially when the time or distance is too long: · It was the best part of a mile to the farm.· It'll probably take the best part of a week to sort it out.· I expect the whole procedure to take the better part of a morning.
the biggest part of something valuable or good that is taken by one person, group, or organization, so that others get less: · Sarah only ate a few bites of the dessert, so I got the lion's share.the lion's share of: · Why should the state get the lion's share of people's money?· His company currently has the lion's share of the market.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
It’s much cheaper to buy in bulk (=buy large quantities of something).COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
It’s much cheaper to buy in bulk (=buy large quantities of something).· And before Fen could answer her question a dark bulk moved out of the shadows into their path.· She dashed around the corner, glad to see his dark bulk again.· The dark bulk of buildings on his right gave way to emptiness, and he knew he'd reached Princess Street.· The dark bulk of St Catherine's faced him on the other side of the wide road.· If Reynolds glanced back he could still see the dark bulk of the table against the light, its straps hanging.
· To the south is the great bulk of Cadair Idris.· The quadriceps has such great bulk and strength that slight weakness of knee extension is more difficult to demonstrate. 4.· This means that fibre-rich foods swell to a greater bulk, to fill the stomach, than any other foods.· A Northrop GrummanHughes combination would control the great bulk of the market for airborne radar systems.· But they may be more dangerous there, because of the great bulk of official paper which sometimes supplies tempting shortcuts.· Data sets precluded from analysis are well documented, but the great bulk of typical experimental data will be handled.· Inevitably therefore, commercial considerations will govern the great bulk of our electronic output.· The great bulk of the cases come from the work of Q. Cervidius Scaevola.
· In the centre of the room was a monstrous machine, black and towering; its huge bulk awesome with power.· Against their huge bulk, the pilgrims and mule toiling up the almost invisible pathways are tiny and humbled.· I saw Redgrave's huge bulk forcing me under the water.· Incredibly, despite his huge bulk, he records just 11 per cent body fat.· But now mariners could see, dwarfing the tower, the huge rectangular bulk of Larksoken Power Station.
· The large bulk of the data that have led to this conclusion originates from areas south of the polar circle.· Satiety was increased with a larger bulk of food intake.· With a slider it is possible to fish a much larger grouping of bulk shot well below the drifting layers of water.· Designed for hardware implementation, its operation is relatively fast and works well for large bulk documents or encryption.· Possibly because of its immensely larger bulk, antarctic ice has changed far less during the same period.· The house loomed undefined, a large bulk between her and the milky sky.· The gentlemanly proprietorships and relaxed chairmanships that historically supplied a large bulk of presidents have become rarities.
· Some may be notes and coin but the vast bulk will come from people writing cheques drawn on bank accounts.· The purpose of the new series starting this week, Computer 102, is to keep its vast bulk from crushing you.· The theory is that data from the vast bulk of incoming faxes is later inputted in some form back into the computer.· The vast bulk of mainstream manufacturers in this country don't know how to use our designers.
NOUN· After coal, building materials figured importantly among bulk cargoes.
· Heavy bulk chemicals are controlled by the provision of fixed dispensers.· The industry, as defined by the IDA. comprises bulk chemicals, pharmaceuticals and healthcare products.· All bulk chemicals should retain their identity with intact labelling, instructions and safety precautions.
· A perfect gas can sustain no shear forces so that the above bulk modulus is the only relevant one.
VERB· Aunt Margaret must buy tins in bulk.· Unless you are feeding a large group, try not to buy in bulk, or they will rot.· According to new statistics, most of us buy the bulk of our wine from supermarkets and are keen on own brands.· They are more convenient and often less expensive.-Buy in bulk.· Another woman explains how a food co-operative has been set up, buying in bulk and selling at no profit to members.· Internet start-up companies, which bought the bulk of online ads, are increasingly selective about where they put their dwindling dollars.· They buy in bulk from manufacturers and importers, and distribute direct to their retail outlets.· You have entrepreneurs there looking to buy in bulk.
· Together, these two bodies constitute the bulk of legislative and executive authority within the Community.· The training command... constitutes the bulk of the instruction.· In all countries that we studied paraprofessionals constitute the bulk of the social welfare work-force.· It might be said that this constitutes the bulk of market lore and wisdom.
· They form the bulk of congregations, raise funds, dean and decorate the churches.· Undergraduate majors form the bulk of most economic professors' workloads.· His experiences there form the bulk of the story that he wants to tell voters.· It is intended that yarn for hard twist carpets will form the bulk of production in the future months.· Carbohydrate-potatoes, pasta, rice, cereals, bread-should form the bulk of our diet.· Angiosperms are usually tiny, growing in isolated clusters and nowhere forming the bulk of the cover.
· Employers will not be able to make bulk transfers of employees from one scheme to another unless certain conditions are met.· Quartz, feldspar, and the clay minerals make up the bulk of that contribution.· Oat straw, although variable in quality, generally makes good bulk fodder for cattle.· Adjustment has been made throughout for intra-industry bulk Scotch Whisky sales. 7.· Women actually make up the bulk of underground workers in many countries.· Bread made by traditional bulk fermentation. 75p for 800g.· Often current slang and colloquialisms make up the bulk of such people's language.· Consigning me to hell seemed to make up the bulk of it, as I recall.
· Proofs are produced in bulk by the Computer Group on request.
· The participating banks collectively provide the bulk of the funds.· Petrus Partners, a venture capital firm, provided the bulk of the financing.· As well as providing the bulk of labour for large plantations, they carried out menial tasks in Colombo and other urban centres.· Subscriptions and contributions to various appeals provide the bulk of our finances.· It supplements care by kin, but families continue to provide the bulk of domiciliary care.· Essentially Glasgow and Edinburgh were the two towns which provided the bulk of the membership and carried the burden of administration.
· Governments do not sell the bulk of their goods and services.· Milk chocolate sold in bulk could only vary in price and quality.· Supermarkets have found they can get around licensing restrictions by selling in bulk.· It rolls up people's small holdings and sells them in bulk.· Both sides of the narrow highway are lined with family outlets selling souvenirs in bulk quantities.· Unmarked boxes of jointed meat with forged inspection stamps are being sold into the bulk meat trade.
· Wells has spent the bulk of $ 23 million elsewhere in its 10-state area.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► in bulk
- The bulk of the book is about his experiences in Vietnam.
- Because of the substantial practical advantages, the bulk of this chapter will be devoted to covert sensitization.
- He would accept 20% of these offerings insisting that the bulk he kept for children and dependents.
- Note how the knees are still flexed and the bulk of the body weight has moved to the right.
- Petrus Partners, a venture capital firm, provided the bulk of the financing.
- That would leave the bulk of the bag free for the plutonium 239 and the firing mechanism John had described.
- They live only in warm parts of the world, the bulk of them in the tropics.
WORD FAMILYnounbulkadjectivebulky
1the bulk (of something) the main or largest part of something: The bulk of consumers are based in towns.2[countable usually singular] a big mass or shape of something: the great bulk of a building► see thesaurus at size3[uncountable] the size of something or someone: The dough will rise until it is double in bulk.4in bulk if you buy goods in bulk, you buy large amounts each time you buy thembulk1 nounbulk2 adjectivebulk3 verb
bulkbulk2 adjective EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- We sell bulk coffee to restaurants.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES It’s much cheaper to buy in bulk (=buy large quantities of something).
It’s much cheaper to buy in bulk (=buy large quantities of something).PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1bulk buying/orders etc the buying etc of goods in large quantities at one time2[only before noun] bulk goods are sold or moved in large quantities: - Also, with bulk buying you save a lot of time by not having to order each resistor and capacitor individually.
- He and other outlets routinely open bulk orders of booster packs, then sell individual rare cards over the counter.
- In the 1980s you can not survive in a small business unless you are part of a bulk buying organization.
- It might also be worthwhile buying packs of d.i.l. integrated circuit holders, or bulk buying the smaller types.
- One reason: Cellular services that buy phones from Motorola have demanded ever-lower prices for their bulk orders.
- This is available from us free of charge in bulk orders and I hope you will consider taking some for distribution.
- Spammers regularly extract all the email addresses from Usenet to add to their bulk mail databases.
bulk flour for commercial bakeries3bulk mail if you send something bulk mail, you send large amounts of it for a smaller cost than normalbulk1 nounbulk2 adjectivebulk3 verb
bulkbulk3 verb VERB TABLE
bulk
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | bulk |
| he, she, it | bulks | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | bulked |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have bulked |
| he, she, it | has bulked | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had bulked |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will bulk |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have bulked |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am bulking |
| he, she, it | is bulking | |
| you, we, they | are bulking | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was bulking |
| you, we, they | were bulking | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been bulking |
| he, she, it | has been bulking | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been bulking |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be bulking |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been bulking |
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- As for Hellinck and Lupi, their work is a chaos of dubious attributions but motets bulk largely in it.
- Each day bulked, a wrong guess, a thing Ralph had failed to take into account.
- These had always bulked large in the history of diplomacy.
- Use pads of acid-free tissue paper to bulk out shoes.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES It’s much cheaper to buy in bulk (=buy large quantities of something).COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
bulk large to be the main or most important part of somethingbulk something ↔ out phrasal verb to make something bigger or thicker by adding something else: It’s much cheaper to buy in bulk (=buy large quantities of something).· Use pads of acid-free tissue paper to bulk out shoes.· Reno unfolded herself, pushed her bulk out of the car, and peeled her dresses off the back seat.
· Unlimited quantities of canned or fresh beansprouts may be added to bulk up small quantities of rice.· We could have bulked up our record.· The temptation is to leave these areas for later lifting, in the hope that plants bulk up better.· Wesley Person must bulk up his body and his confidence, but he showed encouraging signs late in the season.· Richard was bulking up, working on his lats, his tris, his abs.· They bulked up on cash, bought stock index futures but also placed a big, new wager.
We can bulk out the report with lots of diagrams.bulk up phrasal verb to increase the amount of muscle you have