bulk

bulk¹

/bulk/, n.

1. magnitude in three dimensions: a ship of great bulk.

2. the greater part; main mass or body: The bulk of the debt was paid.

3. goods or cargo not in packages or boxes, usually transported in large volume, as grain, coal, or petroleum.

4. fiber (def. 9).

5. (of paper, cardboard, yarn, etc.) thickness, esp. in relation to weight.

6. the body of a living creature.

7. See bulk mail.

8. in bulk,

a. unpackaged: Fresh orange juice is shipped from Florida in bulk.

b. in large quantities: Those who buy in bulk receive a discount.

adj.

9. being or traded in bulk: bulk grain.

v.i.

10. to increase in size; expand; swell.

11. to be of or give the appearance of great weight, size, or importance: The problem bulks large in his mind.

12. (of paper, cardboard, yarn, etc.) to be of or to acquire a specific thickness, esp. in relation to weight.

13. to gather, form, or mix into a cohesive or uniform mass.

v.t.

14. to cause to swell, grow, or increase in weight or thickness.

15. to gather, bring together, or mix.

16. bulk up, to increase the bulk of, esp. by increasing the thickness of: Adding four chapters will bulk up the book.

[1400-50; late ME bolke heap, cargo, hold < ON bulki cargo, ship's hold]

Syn. 1. See size¹.

Pronunciation. BULK and BULGE most often are pronounced with the vowel /u/ of buck. In South Midland and Southern U.S. the /oo/ of book and bull commonly occurs among all speakers. Standard British speech has only /u/. Both types exist in British regional speech, and both were brought to the colonies, where each came to predominate in a different area and was carried west by migration.

bulk²

/bulk/, n. Archit.

a structure, as a stall, projecting from the front of a building.

[1350-1400; ME: stall; appar. special use of BULK¹]

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