build
[verb]
Synonyms:
- construct, assemble, erect, fabricate, form, make, put up, raise
[noun]
Synonyms:
- physique, body, figure, form, frame, shape, structure

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Contrasted words: demolish, destroy, dismantle, level, pull down, raze, take down, tear down, wreck
Related Words: fabricate, fashion, frame, manufacture, run up, throw up, prefabricate, conformation

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English Thesaurus: body, figure, build, physique, corpse, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. build¹ S1 W1 /bɪld/ verb (past tense and past participle built /bɪlt/)
[Word Family: noun: build, builder, building; verb: build, rebuild; adjective: built]
[Language: Old English; Origin: byldan]

1. MAKE SOMETHING [intransitive and transitive] to make something, especially a building or something large:
The purpose is to build new houses for local people.
The road took many years to build.
They needed $3 million to build the bridge.
It is the female birds that build the nests.
Developers want to build on the site of the old gasworks.
a row of recently built houses
build somebody something
He’s going to build the children a doll’s house.

2. MAKE SOMETHING DEVELOP (also build up) [transitive] to make something develop or form:
She had built a reputation as a criminal lawyer.
She’s been busy building her career.
Ross took 20 years to build up his business.
build (up) a picture of somebody/something (=form a clear idea about someone or something)
We’re trying to build up a picture of what happened.

3. be built of something to be made using particular materials:
The church was built of brick.

4. FEELING (also build up) [intransitive and transitive] if a feeling builds, or if you build it, it increases gradually over a period of time:
Tension began to build as they argued more frequently.
In order to build your self-esteem, set yourself targets you can reach.

5. build bridges to try to establish a better relationship between people who do not like each other:
Peter needs to try and build bridges with Lizzie.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. build² noun [singular, uncountable]
[Word Family: noun: build, builder, building; verb: build, rebuild; adjective: built]
the shape and size of someone’s body ⇒ built:
a woman of slim build
You’re a surprisingly strong swimmer for one of such a slight build.
I wanted a more athletic and muscular build.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

build
noun
ADJ. average, medium | slight, slim, thin | heavy, muscular, powerful, stocky, strong, thickset | athletic
PREP. in ~ He's heavier in build than his brother.
of ~ She is slight of build and very agile.
with a ~ a small woman with a slim build

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

body the shape, size, and appearance of someone’s body:
Many women are not happy with their bodies.
His clothes emphasized his strong body.
figure a woman’s figure is the shape of her body – used especially when it is attractive:
She has a really nice figure.
Freya had an enviably slim figure.
build the size and shape of someone’s body – used in the following phrases:
Police described the man as tall and of medium build.
He was of heavy build.
She has a very slight build.
physique the size and appearance of someone’s body – used especially about men who look attractive:
He was over 1.8 m tall with a muscular physique.
Ben has a very athletic physique.
corpse noun [countable] the dead body of a person. Corpse is is used when you are thinking about the body as an object rather than a person:
Pathologists examined the corpse.
carcass noun [countable] the dead body of an animal:
a whale carcass
The carcasses of the infected animals were burned.
remains noun [plural] parts of a dead person or animal, especially when they died a long time ago:
Police found human remains under the floorboards of the house.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

build to make a house, road, wall, bridge etc using bricks, stone, wood, or other materials:
A new stadium will be built for the Olympics.
construct to build a building, bridge, machine etc. Construct is more formal than build:
The council plans to construct two new schools.
put up something to build a wall, fence, or building, or put a statue somewhere. Put up is less formal than build:
The neighbours have put up a new wooden fence.
erect formal to build a wall, fence, or building, especially a public building, or put a statue somewhere:
A monument to the Canadian soliders was erected in Green Park.
throw something up British English informal to build something very quickly:
Developers have hastily thrown up family homes in the area.
put together to make something from its parts, for example a piece of furniture:
It took an hour to put the bookcase together.
assemble formal to put all the parts of something such as a machine or a piece of furniture together:
A line of robots assemble the cars.
medium/average build
He was of medium build and wearing a light-coloured jacket.
slim/slender build
She was very strong despite her slender build.
thin build
He had the thin build of a long-distance runner.
slight build (=fairly thin)
Simpson was of slight build and shy in character.
stocky build (=not very tall, but broad and strong)
The man was described as of stocky build with dark hair.
sturdy build (=not very tall but strong and healthy)
an eight-year-old boy of sturdy build
muscular build
These exercises will help you achieve a strong muscular build.
athletic build
She admired his athletic build.
body the shape, size, and appearance of someone’s body:
Many women are not happy with their bodies.
His clothes emphasized his strong body.
figure a woman’s figure is the shape of her body – used especially when it is attractive:
She has a really nice figure.
Freya had an enviably slim figure.
physique the size and appearance of someone’s body – used especially about men who look attractive:
He was over 1.8 m tall with a muscular physique.
Ben has a very athletic physique.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

build
bɪld
See: jerry-built

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲