bud
pronunciation
How to pronounce bud in British English:
UK [bʌd]
How to pronounce bud in American English:
US [bʌd]
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- Noun:
- a partially opened flower
- a swelling on a plant stem consisting of overlapping immature leaves or petals
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- Verb:
- develop buds
- start to grow or develop
Word Origin
- bud
- bud: [14] Bud is something of a mystery word. It appears in the late 14th century, with no apparent English ancestors. Various suggestions have been put forward as to its origin, including Old French boter ‘push forward, thrust’ (a distant relative of English button). Similarities have also been noted to Old English budd ‘beetle’ and Sanskrit bhūri ‘abundant’. But the question remains open. The American colloquial form of address bud is short for buddy [19], probably itself an alteration of brother.
- bud (n.)
- late 14c., budde, origin unknown, perhaps from Old French boter "push forward, thrust," itself a Germanic word (compare Dutch bot "bud," Old Saxon budil "bag, purse," German Beutel), or perhaps from Old English budd "beetle."
- bud (v.)
- c. 1400; see bud (n.). Related: Budded; budding.
Example
- 1. The new lot could have nipped the bonus fiasco in the bud .
- 2. So it would be better to nip the problem right in the bud .
- 3. The lesson from mali is the need to nip fragile situations in the bud .
- 4. Monitoring the chatter , however , may nip such an epidemic in the bud .
- 5. Nipping conflict in the bud by silencing dark propaganda would do a lot of good .