bully Hear it!

bully¹ Definition

bully (bo̵ol′ē)

noun pl. bullies -·lies

  1. a person who hurts, frightens, or tyrannizes over those who are smaller or weaker
  2. Brit., Dialectal a companion or comrade
  3. Archaic a pimp
  4. Archaic a hired cutthroat or thug
  5. Archaic a fine fellow

Etymology: orig., sweetheart < Du boel, lover, brother < MHG buole (Ger buhle), lover, prob. orig. dim. of bruder, brother; later infl. by bull

transitive verb bullied -·lied, bullying -·ly·ing

to hurt, frighten, or tyrannize over, as a bully does; browbeat

intransitive verb

to behave like a bully

adjective

  1. dashing, hearty, or jolly my bully lad
  2. ☆ Informal fine; very good

interjection

Informal good; well done
bully² Definition

bully (bo̵ol′ē)

noun

canned or corned beef
also bully beef

Etymology: Fr bouilli, boiled beef < pp. of bouillir, boil

bully Synonyms

bully

n.

tormentor, ruffian, tough, tyrant; see rascal.

bully Synonyms

bully

v.

browbeat, tyrannize, domineer, harass; see dominate, ride 4, threaten 1.

bully Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • confront: But he's called away after his stepson, Evan, confronts a school bully with a tranquiliser gun stolen from Danny's cupboard.

Modifies a noun

  • pulpit: But membership on the council offers a bully pulpit.
  • tactic: People want to help the environment but education and information is not enough and neither is bully tactics.
  • boy: It is using bully boy tactics because it knows I cannot afford to fight it on my own.

Noun used with modifier

  • playground: After seeing ' Farenheight 9/11 ' , she said she was ' disgusted ' , and described Michael Moore as a playground bully.
bully Quotes

If the President has a bully pulpit, then the First Lady has a white glove pulpit†more refined, restricted, ceremonial, but it's a pulpit all the same.

—Reagan, Nancy

You let a bully come into your front yard, and the next day he'll be on your porch.

—Johnson, Lyndon B(aines) also called LBJ

Itake it as a compliment whenanagent ofthelargest and most heinous bully of the century, the Soviet Union, accuses me of being a bully.

—Haig, Alexander Meigs,Jr