n. & v.
n. 1 a size; magnitude (esp. large). b a large mass, body, or person. c a large quantity. 2 a large shape, body, or person (jacket barely covered his bulk). 3 (usu. prec. by the; treated as pl.) the greater part or number (the bulk of the applicants are women). 4 roughage. 5 Naut. cargo, esp. unpackaged.
v. 1 intr. seem in respect of size or importance (bulks large in his reckoning). 2 tr. make (a book, a textile yarn, etc.) seem thicker by suitable treatment (bulked it with irrelevant stories). 3 tr. combine (consignments etc.). break bulk begin unloading (cargo). bulk-buying 1 buying in large amounts at a discount. 2 the purchase by one buyer of all or most of a producer's output. in bulk 1 in large quantities. 2 (of a cargo) loose, not packaged.
[ sense 'cargo' f. OIcel. b£lki; sense 'mass' etc. perh. alt. f. obs. bouk (cf. BUCK(3)) ]