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**bullfight**
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buildup of our military forces/of traffic on the road/of tension in the region **2** favourable public attention or praise in advance: *Despite the big buildup, the play was a flop.* $\rightarrow$ see also BUILD UP
**,built-'in** *adj* forming a part of something that cannot be separated from it: *a built-in disadvantage of the system | a built-in cupboard* $\rightarrow$ **see build in (BUILD$^1$)**
**,built-'up** *adj* covered with buildings: *a built-up area*
**Bu·kow·ski, Charles** /buː'kaʊski/ (1920-94) a US writer, born in Germany, who wrote several novels, short stories, and collections of poetry. His work often shows both anger and humour. His novels include *Post Office* and *Ham on Rye*, and his best-known short story collection is called *Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness*.
**bulb** /bʌlb/ *n* **1** a round root of certain plants: *a tulip bulb* **2** any object of this shape, especially (the glass part of) an electric lamp that gives out light: *a 100-watt light bulb | the bulb of a thermometer*
**bul·bous** /'bʌlbəs/ *adj often derog* shaped like a bulb; fat and round: *a bulbous nose*
**Bul·ga·ri·a** /bʌl'geəriə/ a country in southeast Europe next to the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey. Population: 7,537,929 (2003). Capital: Sofia.
**bulge$^1$** /bʌldʒ/ *n* **1** a swelling of a surface caused by pressure from inside or below: *The apple made a bulge in his pocket.* **2** a sudden unusual increase in quantity, which does not last: *The bulge in the birthrate after the war made more schools necessary.* **—bulgy** *adj* **—bulginess** *n* [U]
**bulge$^2$** *v* [I(with, OUT)] to swell or curve outwards: *His stomach bulged (out). | His pockets were bulging with presents. | (fig.) a bulging bank account (=with a lot of money in it)*
**Bulge** $\rightarrow$ see BATTLE OF THE BULGE
**Bul·ger mur·der, the** /'bʌldʒə ,mɜːdəʳ || -dʒər ,mɜːr-/ the murder in 1992 of a young boy called James Bulger, in Liverpool in the UK. The case shocked people and was talked about a lot, because James Bulger's killers were two ten-year-old boys, and many people thought this proved that children in general were becoming more violent.
**bul·gur** /'bʌlgəʳ/ *n* [U] a form of wheat which has been cooked, cracked, and dried
**bu·lim·i·a** /bjuː'lɪmiə/ *n* [U] *tech* an illness in which there is a great and uncontrollable desire to eat. It is most often young women who suffer from it and they usually VOMIT after eating too much in order not to gain weight. $\rightarrow$ see EATING DISORDER
**bulk$^1$** /bʌlk/ *n* **1** [U] largeness of size, shape, or mass: *It was difficult to move, not because of its weight but because of its bulk.* **2** [C] an unusually large, fat, or shapeless body: *The elephant lowered its great bulk.* **3** [the S (of)] the main or largest part: *The bulk of the work has been done. | The publishing sector provided the bulk of the company's profits.* **4 in bulk** in large quantities and not packed in separate containers: *to buy/sell in bulk | a tanker carrying milk in bulk*
**bulk$^2$** *adj* [A] (of buying and selling) in large quantities: *a bulk purchase of grain | a bulk order*
**bulk$^3$** *v* bulk large to appear important or play an important part: *The threat of economic crisis is beginning to bulk large in the government's thinking.*
**bulk (sthg. $\Leftrightarrow$) out** also **bulk up** — *phr v* [I;T] to (cause to) swell or to be or seem thicker or fuller: *She uses gel to bulk her hair out.*
**bulk·head** /'bʌlkhed/ *n* [often pl.] a wall which divides a ship, tunnel, spacecraft etc into separate parts, so that, if one part is damaged, water or air will not pass through
**bulk 'mail** *n* [U] *AmE* the sending of letters, especially advertisements, to many people for a smaller charge than usual
**bulk·y** /'bʌlki/ *adj* **1** having bulk, especially if large of its kind or rather fat: *a bulky parcel* **2** having great size or mass in comparison with weight: *a bulky woollen sweater* **—ily** *adv* **—iness** *n* [U]
**bull**
**bull$^1$** /bʊl/ *n* **1** the adult male form of cattle, supposed to be fierce and hard to control, kept on farms to be the parent of young cattle: *(fig.) a great bull of a man (=big and strong)* $\rightarrow$ compare BULLOCK; see also BELLOW **2** the male of certain other large land or sea animals: *a bull elephant* $\rightarrow$ compare COW$^1$ **3** a person who buys business shares or goods in expectation of a price rise or who acts to cause such a rise: *a bull market (=in which prices are rising)* $\rightarrow$ compare BEAR **4** *infml* for BULL'S-EYE **5 a bull in a china shop** *infml* a rough and careless person in a place where skill and care are needed: *He's like a bull in a china shop, always knocking things over.* **6 take the bull by the horns** *infml* to face difficulties fearlessly and with determination
**bull$^2$** *n* an official letter from the POPE (=the head of the Roman Catholic Church)
**bull$^3$** *n, interj* [U] *slang* foolish talk; nonsense: *That's a load/lot of bull!* $\rightarrow$ see also **shoot the bull** (SHOOT$^1$)
**Bull, John** $\rightarrow$ see JOHN BULL
**'bull bars** *n [P] BrE* a set of metal bars fixed to the front of a large vehicle such as a Jeep or Land Rover in order to protect it from damage
**bull·dog** /'bʊldɒg||-dɔːg/ *n* a fierce dog of English origin with a short neck and short thick legs set far apart, often regarded as having great determination. The bulldog is sometimes used as a SYMBOL of the British character.
**'bulldog clip** *BrE ||* **elephant clip** *AmE* — *n* a small metal apparatus with a spring, used like a PAPER CLIP
**bull·doze** /'bʊldəʊz/ *v* [T] **1** to force (objects, earth etc) out of the way with a bulldozer in order to form a level surface: *to bulldoze the ground before building* **2** [+obj+adv/prep] to force insensitively, without regard for the feelings or opinions of others: *Despite public opposition, he bulldozed his plan through Parliament. | They bulldozed her into agreeing.*
**bull·do·zer** /'bʊldəʊzəʳ/ *n* a powerful machine used for pushing heavy objects, earth etc out of the way when a level surface is needed
**bul·let** /'bʊlɪt/ *n* a type of shot fired from a fairly small gun, usually longer than it is broad and with a rounded or pointed end: *The bodies of the hostages were found riddled with bullets. | Police fired rubber bullets into the crowd. | a bullet wound | A bullet-proof car/vest stops bullets from passing through it.* $\rightarrow$ see also **bite the bullet** (BITE$^1$) and compare SHELL$^1$, SHOT$^1$
**,bullet-'headed** *adj derog* (especially of a person) having a small round head
**bul·le·tin** /'bʊlətɪn/ *n* **1** a short usually official notice or news report intended to be made public without delay: *Here is the latest bulletin about the President's health. | to read a news bulletin on television* **2** a short printed newspaper, especially one produced by an organization or club: *the company's quarterly bulletin*
**'bulletin board** *n especially AmE* for NOTICE BOARD
**'bullet point** *n* a printed symbol, such as a square or circle, that appears before important things on a list, used in order to emphasize each thing
**bullfight** /'bʊlfaɪt/ *n* a form of public entertainment in