boulderboul‧der /ˈbəʊldə $ ˈboʊldər/ noun [countable] 
Word Origin
Word OriginWORD ORIGINboulder
ExamplesOrigin:
1400-1500 From a Scandinavian languageEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- Two huge boulders had to be moved out of the way before the trucks could get through.
- A dozen or so greenish boulders lurked with angular menace below.
- He sat down on a small boulder a few feet away, the rifles across his knees.
- In one of the passes they pulled off the paved highway and parked out of sight of it, among limestone boulders.
- My shin had struck a boulder on the river bottom during my spill.
- Pyrotechnics, a runaway boulder and a few animatronic Indys are along the way.
- Stephen went back across the river again, clambering over the boulders.
- What was I doing cavorting with boulders in the middle of nowhere?
- With nervous steps, I crossed from one slippery wet boulder to the next whilst the water swirled and gurgled beneath.
THESAURUS► rock
Collocations a piece of the hard substance that forms the main surface of the Earth. In British English, rocks are too large to pick up, but in American English, they can either be large or small: · the rocks along the riverbanks
► stone a small piece of rock, found on the ground or near the surface of the ground. Speakers of American English are more likely to use the word rock than stone: · The children were throwing stones into the water.
► boulder a large round piece of rock: · She climbed over a few boulders at the edge of the sea.
► pebble a small smooth stone found especially on a beach or on the bottom of a river: · The beach was covered with smooth white pebbles.
► fossil a rock which has the shape of an animal or plant that lived many thousands of years ago: · fossils of early reptiles
WORD SETS► Naturebackwater, nounbank, nounbank, verbbare, adjectivebarrier reef, nounbay, nounbayou, nounbeach, nounbeck, nounbelt, nounbillow, nounbiting, adjectivebitter, adjectiveblack ice, nounblast, nounblazing, adjectivebleach, verbblizzard, nounblow, verbblowy, adjectivebluff, nounbluster, verbblustery, adjectivebog, nounboiling, adjectiveboulder, nounbracing, adjectivebreaker, nounbreeze, nounbreezy, adjectivebrook, nounbrush, nounbrushwood, nounburn, nounbutte, nouncanyon, nouncascade, nouncataract, nouncave, nouncavern, nounchange, verbchasm, nounchoppy, adjectiveclap, nounclear, verbclement, adjectivecliff, nouncloud, nouncloudburst, nouncloudy, adjectivecoast, nouncoastal, adjectivecoastline, nouncone, nouncopse, nouncountry, nouncranny, nouncrater, nouncreation, nouncreep, verbcrisp, adjectivecrosswind, nouncumulus, nouncyclone, noundale, noundell, noundense, adjectivedew, noundewdrop, noundewfall, noundewy, adjectivedisgorge, verbdog days, noundownpour, noundownriver, adverbdownstream, adverbdownwind, adverbdrift, verbdrift, noundriftwood, noundrizzle, noundrop, verbdrop, noundrought, noundry, adjectivedry land, noundull, adjectivedune, nounduster, noundust storm, nouneast, adjectiveeddy, nounelectrical storm, nounequable, adjectiveeye, nounface, nounfail, verbfair, adjectivefall, nounfell, nounfen, nounfield, nounfierce, adjectivefiord, nounfirth, nounfjord, nounflood, verbflood, nounflood tide, nounflotsam, nounflow, nounflow, verbflower, nounflurry, nounfog, nounfogbound, adjectivefoggy, adjectivefoothill, nounfoothold, nounford, nounforeshore, nounforest, nounfoul, adjectivefreak, adjectivefreeze, nounfresh, adjectivefreshen, verbfreshwater, adjectivefrost, nounfury, noungale, noungale force, adjectivegap, noungentle, adjectivegeyser, nounglacial, adjectiveglen, noungnarled, adjectivegrassy, adjectivegreen, adjectivegreenery, nounground, nounground level, noungulley, noungully, noungust, noungust, verbgusty, adjectivehail, nounhailstone, nounhailstorm, nounhaze, nounheadwind, nounheath, nounheather, nounheat wave, nounhigh tide, nounhigh water, nounhill, nounhillock, nounhillside, nounhill station, nounhilly, adjectivehoarfrost, nounhot spring, nounhummock, nounhurricane, nounice, nouniceberg, nounice cap, nouninclement, adjectiveincline, nounIndian summer, nouninland, adjectiveinland, adverbinlet, nouninshore, adverbisland, nounisle, nounislet, nounjetsam, nounjungle, nounknoll, nounlake, nounlakeside, adjectiveledge, nounlightning, nounlip, nounloch, nounlough, nounlow tide, nounlow water, nounmarshland, nounmeadow, nounmere, nounmild, adjectivemillpond, nounmire, nounmist, nounmisty, adjectivemoan, verbmoan, nounmonsoon, nounmoonless, adjectivemoor, nounmoorland, nounMother Nature, nounmound, nounmountain, nounmountainous, adjectivemountainside, nounmountaintop, nounmouth, nounmudflat, nounmull, nounmurmur, verbmurmur, nounnarrows, nounnestle, verbnew moon, nounnook, nounnorth, adjectivenortheast, adjectivenortheaster, nounnortheasterly, adjectivenortherly, adjectivenorthwest, adjectivenorthwester, nounnorthwesterly, adjectivenotch, nounoasis, nounonshore, adjectiveooze, nounoutcrop, nounovercast, adjectiveozone, nounpack ice, nounpalisade, nounpanorama, nounparch, verbparched, adjectivepass, nounpatchy, adjectivepeak, nounpeal, nounpeasouper, nounpebble, nounpelt, verbpenumbra, nounperishing, adjectivepinewood, nounpinnacle, nounpitiless, adjectivepond, nounpour, verbprecipice, nounprospect, nounpuddle, nounquicksand, nounradiate, verbraging, adjectiverain, nounrainbow, nounrain drop, nounrainfall, nounrainstorm, nounrainwater, nounrainy, adjectiverange, nounrapids, nounrarefied, adjectiveravine, nounraw, adjectiverecede, verbreedy, adjectivereef, nounreservoir, nounridge, nounrift, nounrime, nounrise, verbrise, nounrock, nounrocky, adjectiveroll, verbrolling, adjectiverough, adjectiverural, adjectivescenery, nounscud, verbsea breeze, nounsea mist, nounset, verbshore, nounsky, nounslope, nounsludge, nounsnow, nounsnowbound, adjectivesnow-capped, adjectivesnowdrift, nounsnowfall, nounsnowflake, nounsnowstorm, nounsnowy, adjectivesouth, adjectivesoutheast, adjectivesoutheaster, nounsoutheasterly, adjectivesoutherly, adjectivesouthwest, adjectivesouthwesterly, adjectivespinney, nounspring, nounstream, nounsullen, adjectivesultry, adjectivesummer, nounsummit, nounsun, nounsundown, nounsun-drenched, adjectivesunrise, nounsunset, nounsunshine, nounswamp, nounsweep, verbswollen, adjectivetempestuous, adjectivethaw, verbthaw, nounthicket, nounthin, adjectivethunder, verbthunderbolt, nounthunderstorm, nounthundery, adjectivetide, nountreeless, adjectivetree-lined, adjectivetrough, nounturf, nountussock, nountwilight, nounvale, nounvalley, nounverdant, adjectivevisibility, nounvoid, nounwashout, nounwater, nounwatercourse, nounwaterfall, nounwaterside, nounwaterspout, nounwax, verbwest, adjectivewest, adverbwestbound, adjectivewesterly, adjectivewesternmost, adjectivewestward, adverbwet, adjectivewhirlpool, nounwhirlwind, nounwhite horses, nounwhitewater, nounwild, adjectivewill o' the wisp, nounwind, nounwindstorm, nounwindswept, adjectivewindy, adjectivewood, nounwooded, adjectivewoodland, nounwoodsy, adjectivewoody, adjectivezephyr, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE► huge
a large round piece of rock· Where it was melting a huge pile of boulder clay was built up, as a terminal moraine.· The best approach would now seem to be by a huge tidal boulder hop from Blackchurch, or by canoe.· The huge boulders of the breakwater loomed ahead of him, the grey stone showing white in the moonlight.· As the freighter slammed back down, the solid rock above began to loosen, huge boulders crashing into the decks.· Even as she watched, the arm of one was released, propelling a huge boulder through the air with terrific force.
► large· Resting against the corner of the building was a large triangular boulder.· They followed fresh tracks to a low point on the creek bank and crossed the creek on a series of large boulders.· You will also need a strong crowbar to help you lift and overturn large boulders.· They turn up regularly beneath large boulders on any stretch frequented by shore fishermen.· From here the last leg is a simple but muscle-tearing walk up a large boulder field to the summit of Ben Nevis.· It was a cavity made by the tumbling together of several large boulders, and roofed by the encroaching undergrowth.· Crowds of ragged children swarmed over the large boulders that fringed the bay.· We were at a little secluded cove, with large boulders strewn about, the debris of some long-past hillside.
NOUN► clay· The calcareous clays, such as East Anglian boulder clay, are alkaline and therefore will not suit azaleas or rhododendrons.· In the last one million years the ice sheets spread a layer of boulder clay across the lowlands.· When the ice melted some shallow lakes remained where boulder clay blocked old river courses.· Their floors are covered by sheets of boulder clay.· Where it was melting a huge pile of boulder clay was built up, as a terminal moraine.· As a result the solid rocks are covered by various mixtures of loose clays, sands and boulders - called boulder clay.· But most of the surface is covered by a thin sheet of boulder clay.
► granite· Ahead, a low cairn of granite boulders rose clear of the moor.· Acorn-grinding mortars can be found in granite boulders scattered throughout the camp.· The centrepiece is a granite boulder from Solovki, a group of islands in the White Sea.