bull-roarer

[ bool-rawr-er, -rohr- ]

/ ˈbʊlˌrɔr ər, -ˌroʊr- /

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noun

a wooden slat that produces a roaring sound when whirled around one's head on the end of a string or thong, used by some peoples of the world in religious ceremonies and by others as a toy.

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Also called thunderstick.

Origin of bull-roarer

First recorded in 1880–85

Words nearby bull-roarer

bullous, bull pen, bullpout, bull riding, bullring, bull-roarer, bull rope, Bull Run, Bull Run, Battle of, bull session, bull's-eye

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use bull-roarer in a sentence

Yes, the minor-league baseball player memorably portrayed by Kevin Costner in Bull Durham.
All The Wrong Reasons to Ban Gay Unions|Jay Michaelson|November 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He also said police intend to put their beloved family pet, a Staffordshire bull terrier named Excalibur, to sleep.
Ebola in Europe: What Went Wrong|Barbie Latza Nadeau|October 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Biden made many visits to Baghdad and no doubt get fed a load of bull about inclusion on each one.
Exposed: The White House’s Professor-in-Chief|Jonathan Alter|October 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Like at Bull Run, when I am in the presence of those old family letters, I am transported.
How Gettysburg Did Not Unlock the Past|Laird Hunt|September 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST

A stoic figure in a white floor length dress and razor-tailored bodice was accessorized with a giant bull skull as a mask.
Gareth Pugh's Fashion Show Lacked Fashion, But Not Passion|Justin Jones|September 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The well-known "cock and bull" stories of small children are inspired by this love of strong effect.
Children's Ways|James Sully
I thought this young man was going to read us some of his poetry; it's too tiresome of him to stop to tell us about his bull-dog.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 107, November 3, 1894|Various
And I, for one, absolutely decline to believe in this preposterous story of his about a bull-dog.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 107, November 3, 1894|Various
Tom leaped on one side; the buffalo-bull turned short round and made another dash at him.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne
Some who would face a mad bull coolly enough spring with disgust from a cockroach or a centipede.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne

British Dictionary definitions for bull-roarer

bullroarer

/ (ˈbʊlˌrɔːrə) /

noun

a wooden slat attached to a thong that makes a roaring sound when the thong is whirled: used esp by native Australians in religious rites

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