bullock

American  

[bool-uhk] / ˈbʊl ək /

noun

1. a castrated bull; steer.

2. a young bull.

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bullock British  

/ ˈbʊlək /

noun

1. a gelded bull; steer

2. archaic a bull calf

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verb

1. informal (intr) to work hard and long

Etymology

Origin of bullock

First recorded before 1000; Middle English bullok, Old English bulluc; see origin at bull ¹, -ock

Explanation

Bullock is another word for a steer or a young bull. Most bullocks are raised for meat production, although some farmers have been known to keep their favorite bullock as a pet. Bullocks are essentially young male cows, and the term usually refers to animals that have been castrated. The terminology varies a lot, though, so while some farmers and ranchers use bullock to mean "young bull," others use it to describe a youthful ox. While cows can be useful as dairy animals, bullocks are generally fattened and sold for beef.

Example Sentences

A man on a bullock cart trundles by.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2023

They crunch under the wheels of bullock carts, startling the oxen.

From New York Times • Oct. 10, 2019

Spurned, the bullock cart lingered in the background looking sad and apologetic and wondering if it should, you know, just go or something.

From The Guardian • Jan. 19, 2018

“They had gathered in their villages, tied up all their things onto bullock carts. There were around 40 carts, a few hundred people,” he said.

From Washington Post • Aug. 14, 2017

The bullock cart lumbers up, the bells around the animals’ necks jangling, they have tiny bells fixed to caps on the tips of their horns too, which tinkle as they move.

From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya