26984 words

bubble

11 definitions • 19 examples
1
a ball of gas that appears in a liquid, or a ball formed of air surrounded by liquid that floats in the air:

Examples:

As water begins to boil, bubbles rise to the surface.
I love champagne - I think it's the bubbles that make it so good.
2

Examples:

Japan's economic bubble
the housing bubble
He made millions before the dotcom bubble burst.
3
a situation in which you only experience things that you expect or find easy to deal with, for example opinions you agree with, or people who are similar to you:

Examples:

The candidate liked to talk to ordinary people to get a fix on what was happening outside his bubble.
On social media we all tend to live in our bubbles, where everyone feels the same way we do.
4
a group of people who have a lot of contact with each other but limited contact with people outside the group, for example as a way to avoid spreading disease:

Examples:

UK The government said that people living alone could join up with one other household to create a support bubble.
5

Examples:

bubble away We could hear the soup bubbling away (= bubbling strongly) in the pot.
The pizza is done when the cheese is bubbling and golden brown.
6

Examples:

bubble with He was like a schoolboy, constantly bubbling with enthusiasm and new ideas.
7
to be in or put people into a group who have a lot of contact with each other but limited contact with people outside the group, for example as a way to avoid spreading disease:

Examples:

Is it safe to bubble with my elderly parents during the pandemic?
A decision was taken to bubble the cast and crew.
8
a ball of air in a liquid or on its surface, or in the air:

Examples:

When water begins to boil, small bubbles form around the edge of the pot.
9

Examples:

The water in the pot began to bubble.
fig. We were bubbling with excitement as we watched the Olympic flame being lit.
10
a temporary period when a lot of people invest in a stock, property, or a product that becomes much more expensive than its real value:

Examples:

After the tech bubble burst, few investors were willing to put their money into developing companies.
11
a period of great success, which usually ends very suddenly:

Examples:

Economists fear that the economic bubble will pop and lead to a new recession.

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