bald
B1Neutral to informal
Definition
Meaning
Having little or no hair on the head.
Lacking natural or usual covering; plain, undisguised, or blunt.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily describes a person's head lacking hair, but can extend to animals, landscapes, or objects. Can carry negative connotations of ageing or unattractiveness, though this is context-dependent. The metaphorical sense ('bald truth') implies starkness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Both use 'bald' for hair loss and metaphorical plainness. The verb form 'to bald' (to become bald) is slightly more common in American English.
Connotations
Similar in both varieties. Can be sensitive when referring to people; terms like 'balding' or 'receding' are often considered more polite.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[be] bald[go] bald[have] a bald head[state] in bald termsVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “bald as a coot”
- “bald-faced lie”
- “pull a bald-headed hermit”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in metaphors: 'the bald facts of the quarterly report'.
Academic
Used in biological contexts (e.g., 'bald eagle'), geographical descriptions ('bald mountain'), or literary analysis ('bald symbolism').
Everyday
Common for describing appearance: 'He's going bald.' Also used for worn objects: 'bald tyres'.
Technical
In medicine: 'alopecia' is the technical term. In botany/geology: describing treeless summits ('bald peak').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He started to bald in his late twenties.
- The fabric on the armchair is balding.
American English
- He's balding rapidly.
- The tires have balded after 40,000 miles.
adverb
British English
- The report stated it baldly: profits were down.
- He put his opinion baldly and without tact.
American English
- She baldly refused the offer.
- To put it baldly, the project failed.
adjective
British English
- He has a completely bald head.
- The statement was a bald lie.
- We hiked across the bald moor.
American English
- He went bald young.
- The bald truth is hard to hear.
- We drove on bald tires.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My grandfather is bald.
- The man has no hair. He is bald.
- He is starting to go bald on top.
- The tyres are getting bald and need replacement.
- The landscape was bleak and bald, with few trees.
- She presented the bald facts of the case without any emotion.
- The documentary baldly exposed the corruption within the system.
- His argument was rhetorically powerful but rested on a few bald assertions.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
BALD sounds like 'balled' – imagine a smooth, hairless ball.
Conceptual Metaphor
LACK OF COVERING IS BALDNESS (e.g., bald truth, bald landscape).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'лысый' for objects; 'bald' for tyres is correct, but not for a 'bare' wall (use 'bare' or 'empty').
- The idiom 'bald as a coot' has no direct Russian equivalent.
- The verb 'to bald' (становиться лысым) exists but is less common than 'go bald'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'bold' (brave) instead of 'bald'.
- Overusing 'bald' for non-hair contexts; 'bare' is often better for general lack of covering.
- Incorrect: 'He is a bald.' Correct: 'He is bald.' or 'He is a bald man.'
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following uses 'bald' metaphorically?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be, depending on context. It is a direct description. Terms like 'balding' or 'receding hairline' are often perceived as more polite or neutral.
'Bald' specifically relates to a lack of hair (head) or a analogous natural covering (eagle's head, tyre tread). 'Bare' is more general: lacking any covering (bare feet, bare walls, bare facts). 'Bare facts' and 'bald facts' are similar metaphors.
Yes, though less common than the adjective. 'To bald' means to become bald (e.g., 'He is balding'). It is used more frequently in American English.
It is an idiom meaning completely bald. A coot is a waterbird with a white forehead plate that appears bald.
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