Etimology
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.
verb
build (third-person singular simple present builds, present participle building, simple past and past participle built or (archaic or poetic) builded)
(transitive) To form (something) by combining materials or parts.
(transitive) To develop or give form to (something) according to a plan or process.
(transitive) To increase or strengthen (something) by adding gradually to.
(transitive) To establish a basis for (something).
(intransitive) To form by combining materials or parts.
(intransitive) To develop in magnitude or extent.
(transitive, computing) To construct (software) by compiling its source code.
(intransitive, computing, of source code) To be converted into software by compilation, usually with minimal human intervention.
Examples
It was a bridge ybuilt in goodly wize, / With curious Corbes and pendants grauen faire, [...]
Athelstan Arundel walked home all the way, foaming and raging. No omnibus, cab, or conveyance ever built could contain a young man in such a rage. His mother lived at Pembridge Square, which is four good measured miles from Lincoln's Inn.
A chap named Eleazir Kendrick and I had chummed in together the summer afore and built a fish-weir and shanty at Setuckit Point, down Orham way. For a spell we done pretty well.
The dirty secret of the internet is that all this distraction and interruption is immensely profitable. Web companies like to boast about […], or offering services that let you [...] "share the things you love with the world" and so on. But the real way to build a successful online business is to be better than your rivals at undermining people's control of their own attention.
Since the launch early last year of […] two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations. University brands built in some cases over centuries have been forced to contemplate the possibility that information technology will rapidly make their existing business model obsolete.
This code won’t build any more. Have you made any changes?
Related words
synonyms
(to form by combining materials or parts): construct, erect
(to develop or give form to according to a plan or process): create
(to increase or strengthen by adding gradually to): build up, enlarge, increase, strengthen
(to establish a basis for): base, found, ground
antonyms
(antonym(s) of "to form by combining materials or parts"): demolish, destroy, ruin, wreck
(antonym(s) of "to increase or strengthen by adding gradually to"): decrease, dissipate, weaken
noun
build (countable and uncountable, plural builds)
(countable, uncountable) The physique of a human or animal body, or other object; constitution or structure.
(computing, countable) Any of various versions of a software product as it is being developed for release to users.
(countable) The time spent building something with blocks or plastic bricks.
(gaming, slang, countable) A structure, such as a building, statue, pool or forest, or a configuration of a character's items or skills, created by the player.
Examples
Rugby players are of sturdy build.
The computer company has introduced a new prototype build to beta testers.
This new Lego set was a very nice build.
I made a build that looked like the Parthenon in that game.
In fact, thousands of D&D players constantly debate the virtues of various character builds and share their efforts with each other in hundreds of message boards and mailing lists.