"small vesicle of water or some other fluid inflated with air or gas," early 14c., perhaps from Middle Dutch bobbel (n.) and/or Middle Low German bubbeln (v.), all probably of echoic origin. Figurative use in reference to anything wanting firmness, substance, or permanence is from 1590s. Specifically in reference to inflated markets or financial schemes originally in South Sea Bubble, which originated c. 1711 and collapsed 1720. Bubble-bath recorded by 1937. Bubble-shell is from 1847.

late 15c., bobelen, "to form or rise in bubbles," perhaps from bubble (n.) and/or from Middle Low German bubbeln (v.), which is probably of echoic origin. From 1610s as "cause to bubble." Related: Bubbled; bubbling.

"chewing gum that can be blown in bubbles," 1935, from bubble (n.) + gum (n.). Figurative of young teenager tastes or culture from the early 1960s.

"bubble formed from soapy water," especially a thin sphere of soap-suds blown from a pipe, 1800, from soap (n.) + bubble (n.).

"drop, globule," 1725, from a verb meaning "to make or mark with blobs" (early 15c.), which is perhaps related to bubble. The same noun was used 16c. in senses of "a bubble, a blister." Related: Blobby.

"full of bubbles," 1590s, from bubble (n.) + -y (2). Of persons, from 1939. The slang noun meaning "champagne" (1920) is short for bubbly water (1910).

late 14c., blober "a bubble, bubbling water; foaming waves," probably echoic of bubbling water. The original notion of "bubbling, foaming" survives in the figurative verbal meaning "to weep, cry" (c. 1400). The meaning "whale fat" is attested from 1660s; earlier it was used in reference to jellyfish (c. 1600) and of whale oil (mid-15c.). Compare bubble.

"make a bubbling sound, bubble, gush," c. 1300, imitative (compare unrelated Spanish borbollar, Old French borboter "to bubble, gush," Greek borboryzein "to rumble"). Related: Burbled; burbling.

early 13c. (intransitive) "to bubble up, be in a state of ebullition," especially from heat, from Old French bolir "boil, bubble up, ferment, gush" (12c., Modern French bouillir), from Latin bullire "to bubble, seethe," from PIE *beu- "to swell" (see bull (n.2)). The native word is seethe. The figurative sense, of passions, feelings, etc., "be in an agitated state" is from 1640s.

I am impatient, and my blood boyls high. [Thomas Otway, "Alcibiades," 1675]

The transitive sense "put into a boiling condition, cause to boil" is from early 14c. The noun is from mid-15c. as "an act of boiling," 1813 as "state of boiling." Related: Boiled; boiling. Boiling point "temperature at which a liquid is converted into vapor" is recorded from 1773.

"to cry, to overflow with weeping" (usually disparaging), c. 1400, from blubber (n.). In Middle English also "to seethe, bubble" (late 14c.). Related: Blubbered; blubbering.