A dwelling; habitation; building.
"The old lighthouse stood as a bold on the rocky cliff, sheltering only the keeper and his family."
In plain English: A bold person is someone who acts with great courage and isn't afraid to take risks.
"The bold in her signature was large and black."
Usage: In everyday usage, "bold" is not used as a noun to mean a dwelling or building; that definition belongs to the archaic term "baldachin." Instead, use "bold" only as an adjective describing something striking, confident, or thick and heavy, such as bold text or a bold decision.
To make (a font or some text) bold.
"She selected the word in her document and pressed Ctrl+B to make it bold before printing the flyer."
In plain English: To bold something means to make the letters look thicker and stand out more than normal text.
"She decided to bold her name on the cover page so everyone would see it."
Usage: Do not use the verb form of "bold" to mean making text heavy; instead, use the adjective "bold" before a noun like "bold text" or the phrasal verb "make bold." Reserve the standalone verb usage strictly for technical instructions where software explicitly commands you to apply that style.
Courageous, daring.
"She made a bold move by quitting her secure job to start her own business without any savings."
In plain English: Bold means showing great courage by doing something brave or daring without being afraid of the consequences.
"She wrote her name in bold letters so everyone could see it clearly."
Usage: Use bold to describe someone who acts with courage or takes daring risks rather than being timid. Do not use it simply to mean loud or physically strong.
A surname.
"My neighbor, Mr. Bold, invited us all over for his famous chili on Sunday."
The word "bold" comes from Old English bald, which originally meant brave, strong, or confident. It ultimately traces back to a root meaning "to bloat or swell," suggesting that the idea of being full of courage was once linked to physical expansion.