Wiktionary

bald

See also: bäld and Bald.

English

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A bald man.

Etymology

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    From Middle English balled, ballid, bald (“bald”), of uncertain origin. Probably formed from Middle English bal, balle (“ball, round object, knoll, head”). Compare with Old Danish bældet (“bald”).

    Alternate etymology has Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌻𐌰- (bala-, “shining, grey (of body)”), Old English bǣl (“fire, flame; funeral pyre”) (both from Proto-Germanic *bēlą), Albanian balë (“white spot on the forehead”) and ballë (“forehead”).

    Pronunciation

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    Adjective

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    bald (comparative balder, superlative baldest)

    1. Having little or no hair, fur, or feathers.
      Synonym: hairless
      Antonyms: faxed, haired
      • 1921 June, Margery Williams, “The Velveteen Rabbit: Or How Toys Become Real”, in Harper’s Bazar, volume LVI, number 6 (2504 overall), New York, N.Y.: International Magazine Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:
        The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces.
      • 2019, Lynn Enright, Vagina: A Re-Education‎[1], Atlantic Books, →ISBN:
        Porn didn't revolutionize our pubic hair overnight […] but the general gist is that the vast majority of porn performers in film and magazines had full bushes until Hustler magazine printed a bald vulva, a so-called ‘pink shot’, in 1974.
    2. (specifically) Having little or no hair on the head, or having a large area of bare scalp on top of the head.
      a bald man with a moustache
      • 2021 March 14, Michael Segalov, “It can leave your self-image fractured”, in The Guardian‎[2]:
        There has never been a bald James Bond nor a hairless contestant on Love Island. Growing up, bald men were never the superheroes and always the villains.
    3. Of animals, having areas (of fur or plumage) that are colored white, especially on the head.
    4. (by extension) Denuded of any covering.
      The bald cypress is a tree that loses its leaves in winter.
    5. Of tyres: whose surface is worn away.
    6. Of a statement or account, unembellished.
      • 1922, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Black Doctor:
        Such is a bald statement of the singular and romantic series of events which centred public attention upon this Lancashire tragedy.
      • 1994, Route 9A Reconstruction Project, Battery Place to 59th St.:
        The NYSDOT, through the DSEIS, makes a bald assertion in the DSEIS, but does not explain in detail, why it feels that the Short Bypass Tunnel provides a more appropriate and respectful setting for the WTC Memorial.
      • 2006, João Ferreira Duarte, Alexandra Assis Rosa, Teresa Seruya, Translation Studies at the Interface of Disciplines, →ISBN, page 115:
        Here the existential process (“there is”) functions as a bald assertion of fact, with no hedging or concessions to the observer's subjectivity, while the nominalization (“a significant role-reversal”) activates a pre-existing category from the discourse of Literary Criticism, into which the present "specimen" will be slotted.
    7. Of a statement, without evidence or support being provided.
      • 1891, The Australian law times - Volumes 12-13, page 61:
        The plaintiff in this case must satisfy the judge that she has visible means, the mere bald statement that she has visible means is not suflicient.
      • 2001, Canadian patent reporter, page 194:
        The question regarding this issue is whether the applicant raised sufficient doubts regarding adoption and use of the official mark by the respondent as to have the effect that the respondent's bald assertion is not enough to provide evidence that the official mark was adopted and used or whether a negative inference should be drawn from the failure of the respondent to provide further evidence.
      • 2005, Colin Tredoux, Psychology and Law, →ISBN, page 198:
        The Criminal Procedure Act of 1977 gives police officials the power and discretion to conduct identification procedures 'A bald statement that the accused is the person who committed the crime is not enough ... the greatest care should be taken to test the evidence.
      • 2010, World Trade Organization, Dispute Settlement Reports 2008: Volume 11, →ISBN, page 3959:
        The EC's bald assertion of compliance in the context of this scientific and factual landscape highlights the fact that it has made no effort to demonstrate how its new import ban satisfies the conditions of a "provisional" ban under Article 5.7 of the SPS Agreement or "rationally relates" to or is "reasonably supported" by a risk assessment for purposes of Article 5.1 of the SPS Agreement.

    Derived terms

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    Translations

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    Noun

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    bald (plural balds)

    1. (Appalachia) A mountain summit or crest that lacks forest growth despite a warm climate conducive to such, as is found in many places in the Southern Appalachian Mountains.
    2. (uncommon) A bald person.
      • 1982 December 4, “GWM 32 6 165 North Of Bos (personal advertisement)”, in Gay Community News, volume 10, number 20, page 18:
        Brn hair eyes & stache sks same 28-38 for gd times fun frndship & or possibly more near Waltham area no balds drugs queens kinky scenes fats or pot smokg.

    Verb

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    bald (third-person singular simple present balds, present participle balding, simple past and past participle balded)

    1. (intransitive) To become bald.

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    See also

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    Further reading

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    Anagrams

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    German

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    Etymology

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    From Middle High German balde, from Old High German baldo, adverb of bald, pald, from Proto-West Germanic *balþ, from Proto-Germanic *balþaz, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-. Cognate with Dutch boud, English bold.

    Pronunciation

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    Adverb

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    bald (comparative eher or früher, superlative am ehesten or frühesten)

    1. soon, near in time
      Synonyms: demnächst, in Kürze, zeitnah
      Bald ist der Urlaub vorbei.
      The vacation will soon be over.
    2. almost
      Synonyms: fast, beinahe
      Mit bald 80 Jahren ist mein Vater noch auf Apfelbäume geklettert.
      At almost 80 years, my father still used to climb on apple trees.
    3. (repeated) Indicates a quick succession of events.
      bald Regen und bald Sonnenschein
      (please add an English translation of this usage example)
      • 1911, Erwin Rosen [pseudonym; Erwin Carlé], Der Deutsche Lausbub in Amerika [The German prankster in America], page 161:
        Zwischen den Reitern drängten sich Fußgänger; bald im einfachen Flanellhemd und den riemengegürteten Hosen des Westens, bald in eleganten Anzügen und tadelloser weißer Wäsche.
        (please add an English translation of this quotation)

    Derived terms

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    Further reading

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    • “bald” in Duden online
    • “bald” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

    Old English

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    Pronunciation

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    Adjective

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    bald (Anglian)

    1. Alternative form of beald

    Declension

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    Declension of bald — Strong
    Singular Masculine Feminine Neuter
    Nominative bald bald bald
    Accusative baldne balde bald
    Genitive baldes baldre baldes
    Dative baldum baldre baldum
    Instrumental balde baldre balde
    Plural Masculine Feminine Neuter
    Nominative balde balda, balde bald
    Accusative balde balda, balde bald
    Genitive baldra baldra baldra
    Dative baldum baldum baldum
    Instrumental baldum baldum baldum
    Declension of bald — Weak
    Singular Masculine Feminine Neuter
    Nominative balda balde balde
    Accusative baldan baldan balde
    Genitive baldan baldan baldan
    Dative baldan baldan baldan
    Instrumental baldan baldan baldan
    Plural Masculine Feminine Neuter
    Nominative baldan baldan baldan
    Accusative baldan baldan baldan
    Genitive baldra, baldena baldra, baldena baldra, baldena
    Dative baldum baldum baldum
    Instrumental baldum baldum baldum

    Old High German

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    Alternative forms

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    Etymology

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    From Proto-West Germanic *balþ, from Proto-Germanic *balþaz, whence also Old English beald, Old Norse ballr.

    Pronunciation

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    Adjective

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    bald

    1. bold, quick

    Derived terms

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    Descendants

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    • Middle High German: balt

    References

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    • Joseph Wright, An Old High German Primer

    Old Saxon

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    Etymology

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    From Proto-West Germanic *balþ, from Proto-Germanic *balþaz, whence also Old English bald, Old Norse ballr.

    Adjective

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    bald (comparative baldoro, superlative baldost)

    1. bold, fearless

    Declension

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    Positive forms of bald
    Strong declension
    gender masculine feminine neuter
    case singular plural singular plural singular plural
    nominative bald balde, balda bald balda bald bald, balda
    accusative baldan, balden balda, balde balda balda bald bald, balda
    genitive baldes, baldas baldaro, baldoro, baldero baldara, baldaro baldaro, baldoro, baldero baldes, baldas baldaro, baldoro, baldero
    dative baldumu, baldum, baldun, baldun, baldon, balden, baldan baldun, baldon, baldum baldaro, baldaru, baldara baldun, baldon baldumu, baldum, baldun, baldun, baldon, balden, baldan baldun, baldon, baldum
    Weak declension
    gender masculine feminine neuter
    case singular plural singular plural singular plural
    nominative baldo, balda baldon, baldun balda, balde baldon, baldun, baldan balda, balde baldon, baldun
    accusative baldon, baldan baldon, baldun baldun, baldon, baldan baldon, baldun, baldan balda, balde baldon, baldun
    genitive balden, baldan baldono, baldeno baldun, baldan, balden baldono balden, baldan baldono, baldeno
    dative baldon, balden, baldan baldon, baldun baldun, baldan baldon, baldun baldon, balden, baldan baldon, baldun


    Comparative forms of bald (weak only)
    Weak declension
    gender masculine feminine neuter
    case singular plural singular plural singular plural
    nominative baldoro, baldora baldoron, baldorun baldora, baldore baldoron, baldorun, baldoran baldora, baldore baldoron, baldorun
    accusative baldoron, baldoran baldoron, baldorun baldorun, baldoron, baldoran baldoron, baldorun, baldoran baldora, baldore baldoron, baldorun
    genitive baldoren, baldoran baldorono, baldoreno baldorun, baldoran, baldoren baldorono baldoren, baldoran baldorono, baldoreno
    dative baldoron, baldoren, baldoran baldoron, baldorun baldorun, baldoran baldoron, baldorun baldoron, baldoren, baldoran baldoron, baldorun


    Superlative forms of bald
    Strong declension
    gender masculine feminine neuter
    case singular plural singular plural singular plural
    nominative baldost baldoste, baldosta baldost baldosta baldost baldost, baldosta
    accusative baldostan, baldosten baldosta, baldoste baldosta baldosta baldost baldost, baldosta
    genitive baldostes, baldostas baldostaro, baldostoro, baldostero baldostara, baldostaro baldostaro, baldostoro, baldostero baldostes, baldostas baldostaro, baldostoro, baldostero
    dative baldostumu, baldostum, baldostun, baldostun, baldoston, baldosten, baldostan baldostun, baldoston, baldostum baldostaro, baldostaru, baldostara baldostun, baldoston baldostumu, baldostum, baldostun, baldostun, baldoston, baldosten, baldostan baldostun, baldoston, baldostum
    Weak declension
    gender masculine feminine neuter
    case singular plural singular plural singular plural
    nominative baldosto, baldosta baldoston, baldostun baldosta, baldoste baldoston, baldostun, baldostan baldosta, baldoste baldoston, baldostun
    accusative baldoston, baldostan baldoston, baldostun baldostun, baldoston, baldostan baldoston, baldostun, baldostan baldosta, baldoste baldoston, baldostun
    genitive baldosten, baldostan baldostono, baldosteno baldostun, baldostan, baldosten baldostono baldosten, baldostan baldostono, baldosteno
    dative baldoston, baldosten, baldostan baldoston, baldostun baldostun, baldostan baldoston, baldostun baldoston, baldosten, baldostan baldoston, baldostun


    Descendants

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