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Definition of bold adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

bold

adjective
 
 
/bəʊld/
 
/bəʊld/
(comparative bolder, superlative boldest)
Idioms
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  1.  
    (of people or behaviour) brave and confident; not afraid to say what you feel or to take risks
    • It was a bold move on their part to open a business in France.
    • Few people have been bold enough to criticize the manager.
    • a bold and fearless warrior
    Topics Personal qualitiesb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • feel
    • become
    • …
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    • …
    See full entry
  2.  
    (of printed words or letters) in a thick, dark type
    • Highlight the important words in bold type.
    • bold lettering
  3. (of shape, colour, lines, etc.) that can be easily seen; having a strong clear appearance
    • the bold outline of a mountain against the sky
    • She paints with bold strokes of the brush.
    Extra Examples
    • The furniture was painted in bold, primary colours.
    • a bold black and yellow sign
    4. Word OriginOld English bald, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch boud and to German bald ‘soon’.
Idioms
be/make so bold (as to do something)
  1. (formal) used especially when politely asking a question or making a suggestion which you hope will not offend anyone (although it may criticize them slightly)
    • If I may be so bold as to suggest that he made a mistake in his calculations…
(as) bold as brass
  1. (informal) without showing any respect, shame or fear
    • She marched in here, bold as brass, and demanded a pay rise.
    More Like This Similes in idiomsSimiles in idioms
See bold in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee bold in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: bold

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Nearby words

hide-and-seek
noun
 
 
From the Topic
Games and toys
C2
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