Hypertext Webster Gateway: "building"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
Building
among the Jews was suited to the climate and conditions of the
country. They probably adopted the kind of architecture for
their dwellings which they found already existing when they
entered Canaan (Deut. 6:10; Num. 13:19). Phoenician artists (2
Sam. 5:11; 1 Kings 5:6, 18) assisted at the erection of the
royal palace and the temple at Jerusalem. Foreigners also
assisted at the restoration of the temple after the Exile (Ezra
3:7).
In Gen. 11:3, 9, we have the first recorded instance of the
erection of buildings. The cities of the plain of Shinar were
founded by the descendants of Shem (10:11, 12, 22).
The Israelites were by occupation shepherds and dwellers in
tents (Gen. 47:3); but from the time of their entering Canaan
they became dwellers in towns, and in houses built of the native
limestone of Palestine. Much building was carried on in
Solomon's time. Besides the buildings he completed at Jerusalem,
he also built Baalath and Tadmor (1 Kings 9:15, 24). Many of the
kings of Israel and Judah were engaged in erecting various
buildings.
Herod and his sons and successors restored the temple, and
built fortifications and other structures of great magnificence
in Jerusalem (Luke 21:5).
The instruments used in building are mentioned as the
plumb-line (Amos 7:7), the measuring-reed (Ezek. 40:3), and the
saw (1 Kings 7:9).
Believers are "God's building" (1 Cor. 3:9); and heaven is
called "a building of God" (2 Cor. 5:1). Christ is the only
foundation of his church (1 Cor. 3:10-12), of which he also is
the builder (Matt. 16:18).
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Build \Build\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Built}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Building}. The regular imp. & p. p. {Builded} is
antiquated.] [OE. bulden, bilden, AS. byldan to build, fr.
bold house; cf. Icel. b[=o]l farm, abode, Dan. bol small
farm, OSw. bol, b["o]le, house, dwelling, fr. root of Icel.
b?a to dwell; akin to E. be, bower, boor. [root]97.]
1. To erect or construct, as an edifice or fabric of any
kind; to form by uniting materials into a regular
structure; to fabricate; to make; to raise.
Nor aught availed him now To have built in heaven
high towers. --Milton.
2. To raise or place on a foundation; to form, establish, or
produce by using appropriate means.
Who builds his hopes in air of your good looks.
--Shak.
3. To increase and strengthen; to increase the power and
stability of; to settle, or establish, and preserve; --
frequently with up; as, to build up one's constitution.
I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace,
which is able to build you up. --Acts xx. 32.
Syn: To erect; construct; raise; found; frame.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Building \Build"ing\, n.
1. The act of constructing, erecting, or establishing.
Hence it is that the building of our Sion rises no
faster. --Bp. Hall.
2. The art of constructing edifices, or the practice of civil
architecture.
The execution of works of architecture necessarily
includes building; but building is frequently
employed when the result is not architectural.
--Hosking.
3. That which is built; a fabric or edifice constructed, as a
house, a church, etc.
Thy sumptuous buildings and thy wife's attire Have
cost a mass of public treasury. --Shak.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
building
adj 1: increasing or having the power to increase especially in
size or amount or degree; "muscle-building exercises"
[syn: {augmenting}, {augmentative}]
2: rising progressively; "the building suspense"; "the
heightening drama" [syn: {building(a)}, {heightening(a)}]
n 1: a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or
less permanently in one place; "there was a three-story
building on the corner"; "it was an imposing edifice"
[syn: {edifice}]
2: the act of constructing or building something; "during the
construction we had to take a detour"; "his hobby was the
building of boats" [syn: {construction}]
3: the commercial activity involved in constructing buildings;
"their main business is home construction"; "workers in
the building trades" [syn: {construction}]
4: the occupants of a building; "the entire building complained
about the noise"
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