| 释义 |
bulk
I. \ˈbəlk, ˈbu̇lk, ˈbəu̇k\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English bulke, from Old Norse bulki cargo; probably akin to Old English blāwan to blow — more at blow
1.
a. obsolete : heap, pile
b. : one of the long stacks in which salted fish are layered for curing
c. : a large pile of tobacco arranged for fermentation
d. archaic
(1) : the cargo of a ship
(2) : the whole quantity of a commodity
2.
a. : spatial dimension : magnitude, volume; especially : great extent
< his industry was proven by the bulk of his accomplishment >
b. archaic : power, might
c. : thickness of paper:
(1) : thickness of a book exclusive of its cover
(2) : thickness of a specified number of sheets of paper or board (as of leaves in a book)
(3) : thickness of a sheet of paper or board in relation to its weight
< of two sheets of equal weight the thicker is said to be of higher bulk >
d. : mass 1c(1)
e. : material (as fibrous residues of food) that forms a mass in the intestine and is usually felt to promote intestinal motility
3.
a. : the body of a man or lower animal whether living or dead; especially : trunk — now usually used of human bodies and with an implication of largeness or corpulence
< he hauled his black-clad bulk out of the armchair — Herman Wouk >
b. : an organized structure : body; especially : one considered primarily as a mass of material substance
< the dark bulks of stalled cars — Raymond Chandler >
< the giant bulk of Mt. Katahdin — Jackson Rivers >
c. : a large mass
4.
a. : the main or greater part
< the bulk of his work was finished before supper >
< the bulk of our property is in bonds >
b. : majority
< the bulk of the citizens agreed >
— often used with adjectives of magnitude
< the great bulk of the population >
•
- in bulk
II. verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
transitive verb
1.
a. : to cause to swell or bulge : stuff — often used with out
< a dozen petticoats bulking out her figure >
b. : to add bulk to
< any inert innocuous material can be used to bulk the trace-element mixture >
2. : to gather into a mass
< she bulked up her hair with one hand as she reached for the shears with the other >
as
a. : to pile (fish or tobacco) in bulks — often used with down
b. : to mix (as tea of different lots or grades) in order to secure a uniform product
c. : to assemble (as funds) in aggregates
< baggage is often bulked for the determination of charges >
3. : to have a bulk of : amount to
< the Hoover Dam bulks about 4,400,000 cubic yards — Joseph Bryan >
intransitive verb
1. : swell, expand — often used with up
< the loaf bulked up and browned nicely >
2.
a. : to have bulk : present a bulky appearance : loom
< a dark mass that bulks on the horizon >
b. : to be weighty, significant, or impressive
< the factor that bulks largest in the present discussion >
c. of sheets of paper or board : to reach a certain thickness
< the pages of your book bulk 400 to the inch >
3.
a. : to form into a cohesive mass
< esparto paper pulp bulks well >
b. of sewage sludge : to form into masses that will not concentrate normally
III. adjective
1. : in bulk
< bulk cement >
< bulk cargoes >
2. : dealing with or involving materials in bulk
< a bulk buyer >
< the bulk window at the post office >
IV. noun
(-s)
Etymology: perhaps from Old Norse bālkr partition; akin to Old Norse bjalki beam — more at balk
archaic : a small structure projecting from a building (as a shop or booth) — compare bulkhead |