bubble-likeadv.adj.
/ˈbʌbllʌɪk/, U.S. /ˈbəblˌlaɪk/ A. adv.
In the manner of a bubble or bubbles; like a bubble. Now somewhat rare.
ΚΠ
1655 E. Elys Dia Poemata 2 How light is Man!..He's oft Puft up by th' Peoples Breath, And, bubble-like, so vanisheth.
1707 J. Dunton Bumography 9 Your Turkey-Tail, that thus is prais'd, is (Bubble-like) with Paper rais'd.
1878 Scribner's Monthly 15 116/1 He descanted upon the ephemeral topics which..floated bubble-like on the social surface.
1938 C. Aiken in 20th Cent. Verse July 88 Each in his sphere of sunlight, blown bubble-like away in time.
2016 Age (Melbourne) (Nexis) 27 July The stage visibly shimmers and moves bubble-like, as if entering a time warp.
B. adj.
Of the nature of a bubble; resembling or reminiscent of a bubble or bubbles, esp. in being round, light, fragile or transparent.In quot. 1797 glossing exsufflicate, in Shakespeare's ‘Such exufflicate, and blowne surmises’: see quot. a1616 at exsufflicate adj.
ΚΠ
1797 Wks. William Shakespeare VII. (Gloss.) sig. Riiij/1 Exsufflicate, bubble-like.
1892 O. W. Holmes Autocrat of Breakfast-table iv. 78 He would..tinkle his fork against the sides of the bubble-like glass.
1966 R. Webster Pract. Gemmol. (ed. 4) x. 106 Round clear ‘bubble-like’ crystals [in a gemstone].
1989 N.Y. Woman Sept. 24/2 Some of the women were as cute as ever—their baby voices, bubble-like hairdos.
2011 Time Out N.Y. 21 Apr. 34/1 A [Volkswagen] Bug that looks more masculine and less bubblelike than its predecessor.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2018; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adv.adj.1655