bull
1[ boo l ]
/ bʊl /
noun
adjective
verb (used with object)
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Nearby words
bulkhead, bulkhead deck, bulkheading, bulking, bulky, bull, bull ant, bull bars, bull bay, bull block, bull chain
Idioms
- an awkward or clumsy person.
- an inconsiderate or tactless person.
- a troublemaker; dangerous person.
bull in a china shop,
take the bull by the horns, to attack a difficult or risky problem fearlessly.
Origin of bull
1Related forms
bull-like, adjectiveDefinition for bull (2 of 7)
bull
2[ boo l ]
/ bʊl /
noun
a bulla or seal.
Roman Catholic Church. a formal papal document having a bulla attached.
Origin of bull
21250–1300; Middle English bulle < Anglo-French < Medieval Latin bulla seal, sealed document; see bulla
Definition for bull (3 of 7)
bull
3[ boo l ]
/ bʊl /
noun Slang.
exaggerations; lies; nonsense.
Origin of bull
31620–30; < Medieval Latin bulla play, game, jest, perhaps special use of Latin bulla bubble; now generally taken as a euphemistic shortening of bullshit
Definition for bull (4 of 7)
Bull
[ bool ]
/ bul /
noun
O·le (Bor·ne·mann) [oh-luh bor-nuh-mahn] /ˈoʊ lə ˈbɒr nəˌmɑn/, 1810–80, Norwegian violinist and composer.
Definition for bull (5 of 7)
Definition for bull (6 of 7)
Halsey
[ hawl-zee ]
/ ˈhɔl zi /
noun
William FrederickBull, 1882–1959, U.S. admiral.
Definition for bull (7 of 7)
John Bull
noun
England; the English people.
the typical Englishman.
Origin of John Bull
1705–15; named after John Bull, chief character in Arbuthnot's allegory The History of John Bull (1712)
Related forms
John Bullish, adjectiveJohn Bullishness, nounJohn Bullism, nounDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for bull
British Dictionary definitions for bull (1 of 6)
bull
1/ (bʊl) /
noun
adjective
male; masculinea bull elephant
large; strong
verb
Word Origin for bull
Old English bula, from Old Norse boli; related to Middle Low German bulle, Middle Dutch bolle
British Dictionary definitions for bull (2 of 6)
bull
2/ (bʊl) /
noun
a ludicrously self-contradictory or inconsistent statementAlso called: Irish bull
Word Origin for bull
C17: of uncertain origin
British Dictionary definitions for bull (3 of 6)
bull
3/ (bʊl) /
noun
a formal document issued by the pope, written in antiquated characters and often sealed with a leaden bulla
Word Origin for bull
C13: from Medieval Latin bulla seal attached to a bull, from Latin: round object
British Dictionary definitions for bull (4 of 6)
Bull
1/ (bʊl) /
noun
the Bull the constellation Taurus, the second sign of the zodiac
British Dictionary definitions for bull (5 of 6)
British Dictionary definitions for bull (6 of 6)
John Bull
noun
a personification of England or the English people
a typical Englishman
Derived Forms
John Bullish, adjectiveJohn Bullishness, nounJohn Bullism, nounWord Origin for John Bull
C18: name of a character intended to be representative of the English nation in The History of John Bull (1712) by John Arbuthnot
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Culture definitions for bull
John Bull
A figure who stands for England in literary and political satire and in cartoons. John Bull is a stout, feisty man, often shown in a suit made out of the British flag.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Idioms and Phrases with bull
bull
In addition to the idioms beginning with bull
- bull in a china shop
- bull session
also see:
- cock and bull story
- hit the bull's-eye
- shoot the breeze (bull)
- take the bull by the horns
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.