buildˈing noun

1. The art, occupation or process of erecting houses, etc
2. A substantial structure for giving shelter, eg a house, office block
3. Used as a collective noun for a gathering of rooks

built adjective

1. Formed or shaped
2. Constituted, naturally disposed
3. Muscular (informal)

builder's bottom or builder's bum noun (slang)

The cleavage at the top of the buttocks revealed above low-hanging trousers when a person, esp a workman, bends down

builders' merchant noun

A trader who supplies building materials

builder's tea noun

Tea brewed so as to be particularly strong, usually sugared

building block noun

1. A hollow or solid block made of concrete or other material, larger than a brick
2. A child's toy made of wood, etc
3. A component part (figurative)

buildˈing-board noun

An artificial material made in panels for lining walls

building line noun

The line, fixed by a local authority, beyond which buildings must not project

building paper noun

Any of several types of heavy-duty waterproof paper consisting of plastic impregnated paper or of bitumen sandwiched between layers of kraft paper, and used for insulation and damp-proofing of various kinds

building society noun

A society that advances money to its members as mortgages for homes, and provides interest-bearing accounts for savers

buildˈout noun

A process of expansion or growth

buildˈ-up noun

1. A building up, increasing or strengthening
2. The amount of this
3. A working up of favourable publicity
4. Preliminaries leading up to a climax in a story, speech, etc

builtˈ-in adjective

1. Formed as part of a main structure, esp if recessed
2. Present as part of one's genetic inheritance
3. Inherent
4. Included (as part of a deal, etc)
5. Very firmly fixed

built-in obsolescence noun

The deliberate inclusion in a product of features which lead to deterioration or out-of-dateness before the end of the product's useful life

builtˈ-up adjective

1. (of an area) covered with buildings
2. Raised by adding something to the underside

build in

1. To enclose or fix by building
2. To incorporate at the initial stage (lit and figurative)

build up

1. To close up (eg a doorway) by building work
2. To cover with buildings
3. To raise the height of by adding something
4. To create, be created, or increase, gradually (eg a concentration of troops, a reputation, voltage, tension)
5. To put together from parts already made
6. To strengthen (someone) physically
7. To praise
8. To edify spiritually (obsolete)