bud

plural buds

1. countableuncountableA newly sprouted leaf or blossom that has not yet unfolded.

   After a long, cold winter, the trees finally began to produce buds.

   1 more example

   Among Turks, pills consisting of hemp buds, muscat nuts, saffron, and honey were a popular aphrodisiac.

   1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 113

   Synonyms: budset

2. countablefigurativelyuncountableSomething that has begun to develop.

   breast buds

3. countableuncountableA small rounded body in the process of splitting from an organism, which may grow into a genetically identical new organism.

   In this slide, you can see a yeast cell forming buds.

4. Potent cannabis taken from the flowering part of the plant (the "bud"), or marijuana generally.
   1. AustraliaCanadaUScountableplural normallyslanguncountableusuallyCannabis that has been taken from the flowering part of the plant intended to be smoked.

      You got any buds?

      Synonyms: nug, marijuana, bhang, benj, boo, broccoli, buddha, cannabis

   2. AustraliaCanadaUSslanguncountableusuallyMarijuana.

      Hey bro, want to smoke some bud?

      Synonyms: nug, marijuana, bhang, benj, boo, broccoli, buddha, cannabis

5. countableuncountableA weaned calf in its first year, so called because the horns are then beginning to bud.
6. countabledateduncountableterm of endearmentA pretty young girl.

   My pretty bud was unfolding and I was not there to see it. She was developing so rapidly, I felt I could not be from her a day without missing some sweetness that could never come again.

   1874, Lippincott's Monthly Magazine, a Popular Journal of General Literature

present singular third person buds · participle present budding · participle past budded · past budded

1. intransitiveTo form buds.

   The trees are finally starting to bud.

   1 more example

   And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Numbers 17:8

2. intransitiveTo reproduce by splitting off buds.

   Yeast reproduces by budding.

3. intransitiveTo begin to grow, or to issue from a stock in the manner of a bud, as a horn.

   Seeds of dissent were budding among the recruits.

4. intransitiveTo be like a bud in respect to youth and freshness, or growth and promise.

   Young budding virgin, fair and fresh and sweet, / Whither away, or where is thy abode?

   c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)

5. transitiveTo put forth as a bud.

   Once, he was put on a course of potent hormone pills, coming off them when he woke up one morning to discover he was budding breasts

   2020 September 1, Tom Lamont, “The butcher's shop that lasted 300 years (give or take)”, in The Guardian

   1 more example

   What appeared the same to us really wasn't. Every day was different, if we looked closely enough. Like the topiary tree that finally budded a rose after Terrence died: […]

   2013, Julie Brown, The Brownstone, page 263

6. transitiveTo graft by inserting a bud under the bark of another tree.

plural buds

1. CanadaUSinformalBuddy, friend.

   I like to hang out with my buds on Saturday night.

   1 more example

   Anna's best bud, John (Malcolm Cumming), harbors a secret crush on her, which is indicative of the lazier, more derivative portions of the story that simply repeat tropes rather than comment on them.

   2018 November 27, April Wolfe, “Anna And The Apocalypse is a Holiday-horror Cocktail of Singing, Maiming, and Clichés”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 04 Nov 2019

   Synonyms: babber, billy, bredrin, bruv, buddo, buddy, butty, chaver

2. CanadainformalSynonym of guy, term of address for a man or person.

   [T]hen he shrugged his shoulders and said, with admirable philosophy: "Well, that's life, ain't it, bud?"

   1946, George Johnston, Skyscrapers in the Mist, page 87

   Synonyms: guy, term of address for a man or person

3. informalrareBrother.

   So I'm walking along, minding my own business, right, and suddenly I found myself trapped in a nuclear family. Oh, they were all around me, mom, dad, bud, sis.

   1992, Lea DeLaria, “P-Town”, in Bulldyke in a China Shop (spoken-word comedy album)

1. A male nickname.

   I remember many visits from my uncle Bud.

2. Southern USrareA male given name from English.

plural Buds

1. informalA Budweiser beer.

   I'd like a Bud, please.

plural BUDs

1. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablemedicineInitialism of benzodiazepine use disorder.
2. abbreviationcountableinformalinitialismuncountablecommunicationsInitialism of big ugly dish.

   I spend substantially less time fiddling with the 4dtv than I did with my HTS Premier 70, to say the least. As far as quality goes, it puts the SLD to shame. With the BUD my 53" picture is outstanding. With DTV/USSB it looked like crap.

   1998 March 1, Guy R Tann, “Re: IPG ON 4DTV”, in alt.video.satellite.4dtv (Usenet)

1. businessAB InBev

   Shares of AB InBev (BUD) soared nearly 6% after the Budweiser, Bud Light and Stella Artois owner reported solid sales and earnings.

   2019 July 25, Paul R. La Monica, “Good news for the king of beer: People are drinking more”, in CNN Business