a partially opened flower
"The gardener gently removed the frost-damaged bud from the rose bush before it could fall off."
a swelling on a plant stem consisting of overlapping immature leaves or petals
"The gardener carefully pruned away the damaged bud from the rose bush to encourage new growth."
A newly sprouted leaf or blossom that has not yet unfolded.
"The doctor asked her to stop using bud, referring to her struggle with benzodiazepine use disorder."
Buddy, friend.
A Budweiser beer.
Initialism of benzodiazepine use disorder.
In plain English: It's a term for when someone has a problem with addiction to anxiety or anti-seizure medications called benzodiazepines.
"After years of struggling, she finally sought help to address her bud."
Usage: In contemporary slang, particularly within online communities, "bud" is an initialism for "benzodiazepine use disorder." Use it cautiously and only when referencing this specific meaning within relevant contexts.
To form buds.
"The cherry tree began to bud after the last frost passed."
In plain English: A bud is when a plant starts growing a new stem, leaf, or flower.
"The rose bushes began to bud in early spring."
Usage: Use "bud" to describe plants or other organisms developing a new growth, like a flower or leaf, from a closed protective layer. The rose bushes began to bud in early spring.
A male nickname.
"Bud was happy to see his friend Bob arrive early at the bar."
The word bud comes from Middle English and originally referred to a seed pod. It likely traveled into modern usage through the sense of swelling, possibly rooted in an ancient Indo-European root meaning "to swell."