build

A1 Topic:Tools, Machines & Construction

Also spelled buil

US /bɪld/ See IPA manual

verb Freq #1251

Meanings

1

verb
To make something by joining materials and parts together

They are going to build a new house on the hill.
2

verb
To develop and grow gradually

The tension in the film builds right up to the end.
3

verb
To create or develop something gradually over time

She built her reputation on hard work and honesty.
4

verb
To increase or make stronger

Regular exercise will build your strength.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to make something by... construct

3 verb · to create or develop... establish

4 verb · to increase or make stronger build up

More artifice assemblebetimbercompile edifyextructfabricate fashion form make manufacture produce

Opposites

decrease demolish destroy disassemble dismantle dissipate raze ruin weaken wreck

Word family

Forms buildsbuiltunbuilt

Derived forms back-buildbookbuildbuild-tobuild-to-orderbuild-upbuildabilitybuildablebuilddownbuildercharacter-buildingcobuildinbuild

Related forms building increase nurture physique

Common collocations

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-West Germanic *buþlijan Old English bytlan Middle English bylden English build From Middle English bilden, bulden, bylden, from Old English byldan and bytlan, bytlian (“to build”), from Proto-West Germanic *buþlijan (“to build”), from Proto-Germanic *buþlą, *bōþlą (“house, dwelling, farm”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to become, grow, thrive, be, live, dwell”). Related to Old English botl (“building, house”). More at bottle.

bilden Middle English byldan Old English *buþlijan Proto-West Germanic *buþlą Proto-Germanic *bʰuH- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Tools, Machines & Construction Cause, Change & Process

# build

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** bɪld
**Frequency rank:** 1251

## Meanings
1. To make something by joining materials and parts together
2. To develop and grow gradually
3. To create or develop something gradually over time
4. To increase or make stronger

## Examples
- They are going to build a new house on the hill.
- The tension in the film builds right up to the end.
- She built her reputation on hard work and honesty.
- Regular exercise will build your strength.

## Synonyms
- artifice
- assemble
- betimber
- compile
- edify
- extruct
- fabricate
- fashion
- form
- make
- manufacture
- produce

## Antonyms
- decrease
- demolish
- destroy
- disassemble
- dismantle
- dissipate
- raze
- ruin
- weaken
- wreck

## Derived Forms
- back-build
- bookbuild
- build-to
- build-to-order
- build-up
- buildability
- buildable
- builddown
- builder
- character-building
- cobuild
- inbuild

## Related Forms
- building
- increase
- nurture
- physique

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: bilden
- Root: byldan
- Root: *buþlijan
- Root: *buþlą
- Root: *bʰuH-

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-West Germanic *buþlijan Old English bytlan Middle English bylden English build From Middle English bilden, bulden, bylden, from Old English byldan and bytlan, bytlian (“to build”), from Proto-West Germanic *buþlijan (“to build”), from Proto-Germanic *buþlą, *bōþlą (“house, dwelling, farm”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to become, grow, thrive, be, live, dwell”). Related to Old English botl (“building, house”). More at bottle.

## AI Etymology
Build comes from Middle English bilden, bulden, bylden, from Old English byldan and bytlan, bytlian (“to build”), from Proto-West Germanic *buþlijan (“to build”), from Proto-Germanic *buþlą, *bōþlą (“house, dwelling, farm”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to become, grow, thrive, be, live, dwell”). Related to Old English botl (“building, house”). More at bottle. Build follows a historical chain through Proto-West Germanic *buþlijan, Old English bytlan, Middle English bylden, English build.

## Topics
- Tools, Machines & Construction
- Cause, Change & Process

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