Etymology Borrowed from Middle French bouger, from Old French bougier, from Vulgar Latin *bullicāre (“to bubble; seethe; move; stir”), from Latin bullīre (“to boil; seethe; roil”). More at boil.
1
In the negative To move; to be shifted from a fixed position.
I’ve been pushing this rock as hard as I can, but it won’t budge an inch.
Ile not budge an inch boy: Let him come, and kindly.c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 208, column 1:
3 more examples
[…]although his ſouldiers were much moved and offended to ſee their fellowes put to the worſt, he could not be induced to bouge from his place[…]1603, Michel de Montaigne, “Of the batell of Dreux”, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC, page 148:
Yet goals in either half from Jordi Gómez and James Perch inspired them and then, in the face of a relentless City onslaught, they simply would not budge, throwing heart, body and soul in the way of a ball which seemed destined for their net on several occasions.2014 March 9, Jacob Steinberg, “Wigan shock Manchester City in FA Cup again to reach semi-finals”, in The Guardian:
The gender equality picture stateside can also seem bleak, especially in the wake of the Supreme Court gutting reproductive rights last summer. Women still make only 83 percent of what men do in the U.S.—a stat that has barely budged in the past 20 years.2023 March 13, Naureen Khan, “Doug Emhoff Wants Men to Clear the Path for More Kamalas”, in Cosmopolitan:
2
In the negative To move; to shift from a fixed position.
I’ve been pushing this rock as hard as I can, but I can’t budge it.
3
In the negative To yield in one’s opinions or beliefs.
The Minister for Finance refused to budge on the new economic rules.
If only I could get Ambrose to take me away somewhere! But he won't budge.1933, Richard Curle, Corruption, page 75:
4
Canada, Western, In the negative To cut or butt (in line); to join the front or middle rather than the back of a queue.
Etymology From Middle English bouge, bougie, bugee, from Anglo-Norman bogé, from Anglo-Latin *bogea, bulgia, related to Latin bulga (“a leathern bag or knapsack”). Doublet of bulge.
1
In the negative A kind of fur prepared from lambskin dressed with the wool on, formerly used as an edging and ornament, especially on scholastic habits.
They are become so liberal, as to part freely with their own budge-gowns from off their backs.1649, John Milton, Observations:
One hundred pieces of green silk for the Knights; fourteen budge furs for surcoats; thirteen hoods of budge for clerks, and seventy furs of lamb for liveries in summer.1787, An Historical and Chronological Deduction of the Origin of Commerce, page 282:
budge
adj
Etymology From Middle English bouge, bougie, bugee, from Anglo-Norman bogé, from Anglo-Latin *bogea, bulgia, related to Latin bulga (“a leathern bag or knapsack”). Doublet of bulge.
1
Obsolete, In the negative austere or stiff, like scholastics
Those budge doctors of the stoic fur.1634 October 9 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), [John Milton], edited by H[enry] Lawes, A Maske Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634: […] [Comus], London: […] [Augustine Matthews] for Hvmphrey Robinson, […], published 1637, →OCLC; reprinted as Comus: […] (Dodd, Mead & Company’s Facsimile Reprints of Rare Books; Literature Series; no. I), New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1903, →OCLC:
The solemn fop; significant and budge; A fool with judges, amongst fools a judge, He says but little and that little said, 'Owes all its weight, like loaded dice, to lead.1784, John Wesley, The Magazine of the Wesleyan Methodist Church - Volume 7, page 393:
1 more example
"My boy looked at me very budge," i.e., solemn.1931, The Saturday Review of Politics, Literature, Science and Art, page 684: