/ ˈbʌbl; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
a ball of air or gas in a liquid, or a ball of air inside a solid substance such as glass :
champagne bubbles
a bubble of oxygen
blowing bubbles into water through a straw
—see also speech bubble
2.
a round ball of liquid, containing air, produced by soap and water :
The children like to have bubbles in their bath.
3.
a small amount of a feeling that sb wants to express :
a bubble of laughter / hope / enthusiasm
4.
a good or lucky situation that is unlikely to last long :
At the time the telecoms bubble was at its height.
•
IDIOMS
- the bubble bursts
—more at burst verb
■ verb [ v ]
1.
to form bubbles :
The water in the pan was beginning to bubble.
Add the white wine and let it bubble up .
2.
[usually + adv. / prep. ] to make a bubbling sound, especially when moving in the direction mentioned :
I could hear the soup bubbling away.
A stream came bubbling between the stones.
3.
bubble (over) with sth to be full of a particular feeling :
She was bubbling over with excitement.
4.
[+ adv. / prep. ] ( of a feeling ) to be felt strongly by a person; to be present in a situation :
Laughter bubbled up inside him.
the anger that bubbled beneath the surface
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- bubble under
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : partly imitative, partly an alteration of burble .