Build (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Built (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n.
Building. The regular imp. & p. p. Builded
is antiquated.] [OE. bulden, bilden, AS. byldan to
build, fr. bold house; cf. Icel. bōl farm, abode, Dan.
bol small farm, OSw. bol, böle, house, dwelling,
fr. root of Icel. b&?;a to dwell; akin to E. be,
bower, boor. √97.] 1. To erect or
construct, as an edifice or fabric of any kind; to form by uniting
materials into a regular structure; to fabricate; to make; to
raise.
Nor aught availed him now
To have built in heaven high towers.
Milton.
2. To raise or place on a foundation; to form,
establish, or produce by using appropriate means.
Who builds his hopes in air of your good looks.
Shak.
3. To increase and strengthen; to increase the
power and stability of; to settle, or establish, and preserve; --
frequently with up; as, to build up one's
constitution.
I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is
able to build you up.
Acts xx. 32.
Syn. -- To erect; construct; raise; found; frame.
Build (&?;), v. i. 1. To
exercise the art, or practice the business, of building.
2. To rest or depend, as on a foundation; to ground
one's self or one's hopes or opinions upon something deemed reliable; to
rely; as, to build on the opinions or advice of others.
Build, n. Form or mode of construction;
general figure; make; as, the build of a ship.
