boulder

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See also: Boulder

English

Alternative forms

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.

Pronunciation

Noun

boulder (plural boulders)

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

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

boulder (third-person singular simple present boulders, present participle bouldering, simple past and past participle bouldered)

  1. (climbing, transitive, intransitive) To engage in bouldering.
    • 2005 November 18, “The ties that bind ..., ... and prevent falls have become family unifier in rock climbing”, in Salt Lake Tribune:
      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....
    • 2006 July 18, Tony Durrant, “The steep learning curve”, in telegraph.co.uk:
      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.
    • 2007 February 15, “Homes blend eco-friendliness, unique design”, in Sierra Sun:
      There's even old climbing hardware in it because people bouldered on it for years.

Derived terms

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