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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

boulder en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ˈbəʊl.də(ɹ)/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • (US) audio
  • /ˈboʊl.dɚ/ (General-American)

Etymology

From late Middle English bulder, short for Middle English bulder ston (“a stone that's been worn into a round shape, boulder, cobblestone”), possibly from Old Swedish *buldersten, itself possibly from Old Swedish bulder (“rumble, noise”) + sten (“stone”); whence dialectal Swedish bullersten (“large stone in a stream, causing water to roar around it”). The first element may alternatively be allied to Old Swedish bulle, bolle (“round drinking vessel, tumbler”), from Old Norse bolli, related to Old English bolla (“round object, bowl”), see English bowl.

Meanings

  1. A large mass of stone detached from the surrounding land.
  2. A particle greater than 256 mm in diameter, following the Wentworth scale
  3. A large marble, in children's games.
    • There were four sizes of marbles and we called them boulders, biggies, regulars, and teenies. 2006, Carol Benson, The Old Lonesome, page 84:
  4. A session of bouldering; involvement in bouldering.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
bowlder alternative, archaic lexicographic
bulder alternative, obsolete lexicographic
boulders Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

boulderless · bouldery · boulderlike

Hyponyms

boulderstone · river boulder

Relateds

boulder clay · boulder holder · over-the-shoulder boulder holder · boulder opal

Translations (81)

qu qaqa qaqa (large mass of stone) · sh oblutak (large mass of stone) · es peña (large mass of stone) · hu szikla (large mass of stone) · it masso (large mass of stone) · ja 玉石 (large mass of stone) · nv tsétsoh (large mass of stone) · ckb تاوێر (large mass of stone) · ia petra grosse (large mass of stone) · cmn 漂礫 /漂砾 (large mass of stone) · gl mourenza (large mass of stone) · sh stena (large mass of stone) · pl głaz (large mass of stone) · ka ლოდი (large mass of stone) · sv stenblock (large mass of stone) · it macigno (large mass of stone) · ja 丸石 (large mass of stone) · el ογκόλιθος (large mass of stone) · vec masegna (large mass of stone) · nn kampestein (large mass of stone) · bg канара (large mass of stone) · fi lohkare (large mass of stone) · mi makahuri (large mass of stone) · tr kaya taşı (large mass of stone) · ast cantu (large mass of stone) · sh stijena (large mass of stone) · ast peña (large mass of stone) · ko 바위 (large mass of stone) · eo ŝtonego (large mass of stone) · cmn 圓石頭 /圆石头 (large mass of stone) · mk громада (large mass of stone) · ca tormo (large mass of stone) · ast cuetu (large mass of stone) · de Fels (large mass of stone) · gl rocha (large mass of stone) · da kampesten (large mass of stone) · fi järkäle (large mass of stone) · lv laukakmens (large mass of stone) · gl penedo (large mass of stone) · es peñasco (large mass of stone) · ota قیا (large mass of stone) · nl rotsblok (large mass of stone) · nn steinblokk (large mass of stone) · fr rocher (large mass of stone) · mk грамада (large mass of stone) · de Felsbrocken (large mass of stone) · sl balván (large mass of stone) · fr boulder (large mass of stone) · de Felsblock (large mass of stone) · gl petouto (large mass of stone) · ga bollán (large mass of stone) · kmr çel (large mass of stone) · mi toka (large mass of stone) · ro bolovan (large mass of stone) · bg балван (large mass of stone) · ca penyal (large mass of stone) · cy clogfaen (large mass of stone) · cmn 頑石 /顽石 (large mass of stone) · ca bloc (large mass of stone) · he גּוֹלָל (large mass of stone) · gl pena (large mass of stone) · izh kommi (large mass of stone) · id batu longsor (large mass of stone) · kxd batu (large mass of stone) · nb steinblokk (large mass of stone) · hu kőszikla (large mass of stone) · hy գլաքար (large mass of stone) · kn ಬಂಡೆ (large mass of stone) · gl louro (large mass of stone) · ru валу́н (large mass of stone) · gl carnoedo (large mass of stone) · ota جندل (large mass of stone) · gl con (large mass of stone) · pt pedregulho (large mass of stone) · pt rocha (large mass of stone) · nl kei (large mass of stone) · cmn 磐石 (large mass of stone) · sv stenbumling (large mass of stone) · hi पत्थर (large mass of stone) · ja 大石 (large mass of stone) · nb kampestein (large mass of stone)

boulder en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • /ˈbəʊl.də(ɹ)/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • (US) audio
  • /ˈboʊl.dɚ/ (General-American)

Etymology

From late Middle English bulder, short for Middle English bulder ston (“a stone that's been worn into a round shape, boulder, cobblestone”), possibly from Old Swedish *buldersten, itself possibly from Old Swedish bulder (“rumble, noise”) + sten (“stone”); whence dialectal Swedish bullersten (“large stone in a stream, causing water to roar around it”). The first element may alternatively be allied to Old Swedish bulle, bolle (“round drinking vessel, tumbler”), from Old Norse bolli, related to Old English bolla (“round object, bowl”), see English bowl.

Meanings

  1. (ambitransitive) To engage in bouldering.
    • He bouldered a route in the same area with ease. Mitchell, 11, was hanging with the older kids in an area where bouldering nearly upside down seemed to be.... 2005 November 18, “The ties that bind ..., ... and prevent falls have become family unifier in rock climbing”, in Salt Lake Tribune:
    • There's even old climbing hardware in it because people bouldered on it for years. 2007 February 15, “Homes blend eco-friendliness, unique design”, in Sierra Sun:
    • As the week unfolded, we were taught about the equipment we needed, how to tie a rope and what to wear. We learnt to balance on our feet rather than cling on with our arms and to trust our rock shoes, the moulded rubber slippers that can grip the smoothest of surfaces. We abseiled, bouldered and belayed. 2006 July 18, Tony Durrant, “The steep learning curve”, in telegraph.co.uk:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
bouldering Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
boulders Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
bouldered Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
bouldered Tense=Past lexicographic
bulder alternative, obsolete lexicographic
bowlder alternative, archaic lexicographic

Deriveds

bouldering · boulderer