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Generate vs Build - What's the difference?

generate | build |

In transitive terms the difference between generate and build

is that generate is to procreate, beget while build is to establish a basis for (something).

In intransitive terms the difference between generate and build

is that generate is to appear or occur; be generated while build is to develop in magnitude or extent.

As a noun build is

(physique) The physique of a human body; constitution or structure of a human body.

generate

English

Verb

(generat)
  • To bring into being; give rise to.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012, date=May 9, author=Jonathan Wilson, work=the Guardian
  • , title= Europa League: Radamel Falcao's Atlético Madrid rout Athletic Bilbao , passage=In the last 20 minutes Athletic began to generate the sort of pressure of which they are capable, but by then it was far too late: the game had begun to slip away from them as early as the seventh minute.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-22, volume=407, issue=8841, page=68, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= T time , passage=The ability to shift profits to low-tax countries by locating intellectual property in them
  • To produce as a result of a chemical or physical process.
  • To procreate, beget.
  • (mathematics) To form a figure from a curve or solid.
  • To appear or occur; be generated.
  • * 1883 , (Thomas Hardy), (The Three Strangers)
  • Mrs. Fennel, seeing the steam begin to generate on the countenances of her guests, crossed over and touched the fiddler's elbow and put her hand on the serpent's mouth.

    Synonyms

    * (to bring into being) create

    Antonyms

    * (to bring into being) annihilate, extinguish * (to produce as a result of a chemical or physical process) erase

    Anagrams

    * ----

    build

    English

    Verb

  • (lb) To form (something) by combining materials or parts.
  • *
  • *:Athelstan Arundel walked home all the way, foaming and raging. No omnibus, cab, or conveyance ever built could contain a young man in such a rage. His mother lived at Pembridge Square, which is four good measured miles from Lincoln's Inn.
  • *
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients, chapter=1 , passage=A chap named Eleazir Kendrick and I had chummed in together the summer afore and built a fish-weir and shanty at Setuckit Point, down Orham way. For a spell we done pretty well.}}
  • To develop or give form to (something) according to a plan or process.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-21, author=(Oliver Burkeman)
  • , volume=189, issue=2, page=27, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= The tao of tech , passage=The dirty secret of the internet is that all this distraction and interruption is immensely profitable. Web companies like to boast about […], or offering services that let you
  • (lb) To increase or strengthen (something) by adding gradually to.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-20, volume=408, issue=8845, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= The attack of the MOOCs , passage=Since the launch early last year of […] two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations. University brands built in some cases over centuries have been forced to contemplate the possibility that information technology will rapidly make their existing business model obsolete.}}
  • (lb) To establish a basis for (something).
  • (lb) To form by combining materials or parts.
  • (lb) To develop in magnitude or extent.
  • Usage notes

    * The simple past tense and past participle used to be builded; however, that form is now archaic, having been superseded by the form .

    Synonyms

    * (to form by combining materials or parts) construct, erect * (to develop or give form to according to a plan or process) create * (to increase or strengthen by adding gradually to) build up, enlarge, increase, strengthen * (to establish a basis for) base, found, ground

    Antonyms

    * (to form by combining materials or parts) demolish, destroy, ruin, wreck * (to increase or strengthen by adding gradually to) decrease, dissipate, weaken

    Derived terms

    * build a fire under * build castles in the air * build in * build into * build on * build on sand * build-to * build up * build upon * prebuild

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (senseid) The physique of a human body; constitution or structure of a human body.
  • Rugby players are of sturdy build .
  • (computing) any of various versions of a software product as it is being developed for release to users
  • The computer company has introduced a new prototype build to beta testers.
  • (Internet slang) a structure, nominally an abbreviation of building (see usage notes below).
  • I made a build that looked like the Parthenon in that game.

    Usage notes

    * As internet slang, although the word is nominally an abbreviation of "building", the slang term can refer to any structure or formation created by the player e.g. a statue, a pool, or even a forest.