bull

[ boo l ]

/ bʊl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR bull ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the male of a bovine animal, especially of the genus Bos, with sexual organs intact and capable of reproduction.

the male of certain other animals, as the elephant and moose.

a large, solidly built person.

a person who believes that market prices, especially of stocks, will increase (opposed to bear).

(initial capital letter) Astronomy, Astrology. the constellation or sign of Taurus.

a bulldog.

Slang. a police officer.

adjective

male.

of, relating to, or resembling a bull, as in strength.

having to do with or marked by a continuous trend of rising prices, as of stocks: a bull market.

verb (used with object)

Stock Exchange. to attempt to raise the price of.

to speculate in, in expectation of a rise in price.

to force; shove: to bull one's way through a crowd.

Nautical. to ram (a buoy).

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Question 1 of 11

“Compliment” and “complement” had a shared meaning a long time ago, but today they are no longer interchangeable.

True

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Idioms for bull

bull in a china shop,

an awkward or clumsy person.
an inconsiderate or tactless person.
a troublemaker; dangerous person.

take the bull by the horns, to attack a difficult or risky problem fearlessly.

Origin of bull

1150–1200; Middle English bule, Old English bula; akin to Old Norse boli; see bullock

OTHER WORDS FROM bull

bull-like, adjective

Words nearby bull

bulkhead, bulkhead deck, bulkheading, bulking, bulky, bull, bull ant, bull bars, bull bay, bull block, bull chain

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for bull in a china shop (1 of 5)

Bull¹

/ (bʊl) /

noun

the Bull the constellation Taurus, the second sign of the zodiac

British Dictionary definitions for bull in a china shop (2 of 5)

Bull²

/ (bʊl) /

noun

John . 1563–1628, English composer and organist

See John Bull

British Dictionary definitions for bull in a china shop (3 of 5)

bull¹

/ (bʊl) /

noun

any male bovine animal, esp one that is sexually matureRelated adjective: taurine

the uncastrated adult male of any breed of domestic cattle

the male of various other animals including the elephant and whale

a very large, strong, or aggressive person

stock exchange

a speculator who buys in anticipation of rising prices in order to make a profit on resale
(as modifier)a bull market Compare bear 1 (def. 5)

mainly British short for bull's-eye (def. 1), bull's-eye (def. 2)

slang short for bullshit

short for bulldog, bull terrier

a bull in a china shop a clumsy person

shoot the bull US and Canadian slang

to pass time talking lightly
to boast or exaggerate

take the bull by the horns to face and tackle a difficulty without shirking

adjective

male; masculinea bull elephant

large; strong

verb

(tr) to raise or attempt to raise the price or prices of (a stock market or a security) by speculative buying

(intr) (of a cow) to be on heat

(intr) US slang to talk lightly or foolishly

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 in a china shop (4 of 5)

bull²

/ (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 in a china shop (5 of 5)

bull³

/ (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

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

Idioms and Phrases with bull in a china shop (1 of 2)

bull in a china shop

An extremely clumsy person, as in Her living room, with its delicate furniture and knickknacks, made him feel like a bull in a china shop. The precise origin for this term has been lost; it was first recorded in Frederick Marryat's novel, Jacob Faithful (1834).

Idioms and Phrases with bull in a china shop (2 of 2)

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

bull

noun

adjective

verb (used with object)

QUIZZES

CAN YOU ACE THIS QUIZ ABOUT “COMPLIMENT” VS. “COMPLEMENT”?

Idioms for bull

Origin of bull

OTHER WORDS FROM bull

Words nearby bull

Words related to bull in a china shop

British Dictionary definitions for bull in a china shop (1 of 5)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for bull in a china shop (2 of 5)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for bull in a china shop (3 of 5)

noun

adjective

verb

Word Origin for bull

British Dictionary definitions for bull in a china shop (4 of 5)

noun

Word Origin for bull

British Dictionary definitions for bull in a china shop (5 of 5)

noun

Word Origin for bull

Idioms and Phrases with bull in a china shop (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with bull in a china shop (2 of 2)