bubbles
/ˈbʌb.əl/ (bre, ipa) · [bˈʌbəlz] /ˈbʌb.əl/ (ame, ipa) · [bˈʌbəlz] /ˈbə-bəl How to pronounce bubble (audio)/ (ame, mw)
bubbles — noun
1. small round pockets of air or gas that appear in liquid or in a thin soap film
small round pockets of air or gas that appear in liquid or in a thin soap film
Tiny bubbles clung to the glass after Mina poured the lemonade.
bubbles cling to a surface in liquid
Warm bath bubbles covered Leo's shoulders after he turned on the jets.
The fish tank released silver bubbles all along the back wall.
Soap bubbles drifted over the yard while the children chased them.
文法句型
bubbles in + liquid
soap bubbles
bubbles cling to + surface
用法筆記
Use this sense for the visible round pockets in drinks, bath water, fish tanks, or soap mixtures.
2. the activity of blowing soap liquid to make floating bubbles, especially for chi
the activity of blowing soap liquid to make floating bubbles, especially for children to play with
After lunch, the twins begged for bubbles beside the park pond.
informal activity noun: have bubbles
Summer camp always ended with bubbles and chalk on the playground.
The nursery teacher set out trays for bubbles before the rain arrived.
Bubbles kept the toddlers busy while their parents packed the picnic.
文法句型
do bubbles
have bubbles
bubbles in the park
用法筆記
This informal sense names the pastime itself, not the round air pockets in liquid.
3. periods when prices or business activity rise too fast on unrealistic hopes and
periods when prices or business activity rise too fast on unrealistic hopes and then often collapse
Cheap loans helped fuel the housing bubbles in several fast-growing cities.
economic pattern: housing bubbles
Investors ignored warning signs until the tech bubbles finally burst.
bubbles burst after speculation
Newspapers compared the coin craze to earlier bubbles in the stock market.
Loose credit can create bubbles that leave ordinary buyers in debt.
文法句型
housing bubbles
tech bubbles
bubbles burst
用法筆記
Common in economics and finance, especially when people warn that rising prices are not based on real long-term value.
4. closed social or online spaces where people mainly meet familiar opinions and li
closed social or online spaces where people mainly meet familiar opinions and little that challenges them
Online bubbles can make extreme views seem normal after a few weeks.
online bubbles shape what people hear
Students in political bubbles rarely hear why their classmates disagree.
Family bubbles of opinion grew tighter once everyone followed different news channels.
Travel broke her social bubbles and changed how she judged strangers.
文法句型
online bubbles
social bubbles
political bubbles
用法筆記
This sense often appears in discussions of media, politics, and social networks. Distinguish it from noun/5, which is a controlled contact group for health protection.
5. small fixed groups whose members stay mostly with one another to reduce the spre
small fixed groups whose members stay mostly with one another to reduce the spread of disease
During the outbreak, nurses worked in bubbles to limit cross-infection.
work in bubbles to reduce infection
The school kept each class in bubbles during the winter flu wave.
Festival organizers used bubbles so dancers could rehearse without mixing widely.
Players ate in separate bubbles before the tournament began.
文法句型
work in bubbles
keep classes in bubbles
stay in separate bubbles
用法筆記
This sense became common in health and event planning during disease outbreaks. Distinguish it from noun/4, which is about limited viewpoints rather than limited contact.
6. ideas, claims, or plans that sound attractive but have little substance or real
ideas, claims, or plans that sound attractive but have little substance or real chance of success
The sales pitch was all bubbles and no workable plan.
figurative: all bubbles and no substance
Years later, the invention proved to be bubbles rather than a business.
Marta's uncle called the rumor bubbles and refused to invest a dollar.
The mayor dismissed the tunnel project as bubbles before the vote.
文法句型
all bubbles
prove to be bubbles
用法筆記
A rare figurative use for something empty, deceptive, or unrealistic.
7. clear rounded covers or structures shaped like half a ball
clear rounded covers or structures shaped like half a ball
Clear bubbles covered the seedlings during the cold spring nights.
protective clear domes
Two plastic bubbles protected the robots while visitors walked around them.
The resort built winter dining bubbles beside the frozen lake.
Gardeners moved the tomato bubbles indoors before the first frost.
文法句型
plastic bubbles
dining bubbles
bubbles cover + object
用法筆記
Used for transparent coverings or rooms, often temporary ones.
bubbles — verb
- bubblespresent simple I / you / we / they
- bubbleses3rd person singular
- bubblesing-ing form
- bubblesedpast simple
1. to make bubbles, or to cause liquid or another substance to do this
to make bubbles, or to cause liquid or another substance to do this
Soup bubbles at the edges when the heat is a little too high.
intransitive: liquid bubbles
The machine bubbles air through the tank before each test.
transitive: bubble air through + container
Fresh paint bubbles if damp wood sits in the sun all day.
The spa jet bubbles the water around Mara's tired ankles.
文法句型
liquid bubbles
bubble + object
bubble with + air
用法筆記
Use this sense for physical bubbling in liquids, paint, or similar materials. It can be intransitive or causative.
2. to seem full of a strong quality, especially lively excitement, so that it shows
to seem full of a strong quality, especially lively excitement, so that it shows clearly
Anjali bubbles with ideas whenever the art club plans a fair.
bubble with + noun for visible energy
The little cafe bubbles with energy before the morning train arrives.
Khalid's voice bubbles with pride when he talks about the twins.
The team's message board bubbles after a last-minute win.
文法句型
bubble with + excitement
bubble with + ideas
place bubbles with + energy
用法筆記
Often followed by with plus a feeling or quality. Distinguish it from verb/1, which is about physical bubbles in material.
3. to keep people within a small fixed contact group, or to stay in such a group yo
to keep people within a small fixed contact group, or to stay in such a group yourself
The hospital bubbles new arrivals for five days before ward duty.
transitive: bubble people for safety
The coach bubbles the swimmers by age during indoor practice.
The company bubbles each film crew in a separate hotel wing.
Festival staff bubbles each volunteer team during the final rehearsal.
文法句型
bubble + people
bubble in + group
bubble each team separately
用法筆記
A recent health-planning use. It is about limiting contact, not about opinions as in noun/4.
4. to rise or move along with a soft bubbling sound, as liquid does
to rise or move along with a soft bubbling sound, as liquid does
Muddy water bubbles up through the drain after heavy rain.
bubble up through + place
The stream bubbles past the stones behind the village mill.
A hillside spring bubbles from the rocks below the pine trees.
Hot soup bubbles softly in the bowl beside the window.
文法句型
water bubbles up
stream bubbles past + place
spring bubbles from + place
用法筆記
This sense focuses on upward movement or flowing sound, not on the creation of separate visible air pockets as in verb/1.