■ noun
1》 a rounded swelling distorting a flat surface.
2》 Military a piece of land projecting outwards from an otherwise regular line.
3》 informal a temporary increase: a ~ in the birth rate.
■ verb swell or protrude to an unnatural extent.
↘be full of and distended with.
Derivatives
bulging adjective
bulgingly adverb
bulgy adjective
Origin
ME (in the sense 'wallet or bag'): from OFr. boulge , from L. bulga (see budget ).