bully

[bool-ee]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR bully ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural bul·lies.

a blustering, quarrelsome, overbearing person who habitually badgers and intimidates smaller or weaker people.

Archaic. a man hired to do violence.

Obsolete. a pimp; procurer.

Obsolete. good friend; good fellow.

Obsolete. sweetheart; darling.

verb (used with object), bul·lied, bul·ly·ing.

to act the bully toward; intimidate; domineer.

verb (used without object), bul·lied, bul·ly·ing.

to be loudly arrogant and overbearing.

adjective

Informal. fine; excellent; very good.

dashing; jovial; high-spirited.

interjection

Informal. good! well done!

Nearby words

Origin of bully

First recorded in 1530–40, bully is from the Middle Dutch word boele lover

SYNONYMS FOR bully

6. cow, browbeat, coerce; terrorize, tyrannize.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR bully ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsbul·ly·a·ble, adjectiveun·bul·lied, adjectiveun·bul·ly·ing, adjective

bully

[boo l-ee]

noun

bully beef.

Origin of bully

1865–70; < French bouilli, short for boeuf bouilli boiled meat. See boil¹, beef

bully

[boo l-ee]

noun, plural bul·lies.

Soccer. a desperate, freewheeling scramble for the ball by a number of players, usually in the goal area.

Field Hockey. a method of putting the ball into play in which two opponents, facing each other, tap their sticks on the ground near the ball and then make contact with each other's sticks over the ball three times, after which each tries to gain possession of the ball.

Origin of bully

First recorded in 1860–65; of obscure origin

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for bully

UNO puts such an onus on smoking students that it ultimately seems like a bully, even more than a nanny.
The University Of New Orleans’ Cigarette Ban Is Total BS|Chloé Valdary|October 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And when we have been spared such tragedy, it has happened precisely because presidents have stood up to the bully caucus.
Please—Let's Not Destroy ISIS|Michael Tomasky|September 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But as a true anti-bullying champion will tell you, a bully is no less a bully simply because his victim seeks to excuse him.
Ray Rice Should Have Remembered His 'Kindness' Anti-Bullying Wristband|Michael Daly|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Or maybe even one on each wrist, both reading “I AM A BULLY.”
Ray Rice Should Have Remembered His 'Kindness' Anti-Bullying Wristband|Michael Daly|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST

If I am elected, then I will have power and the ability to ‘bully’ Republicans, as you say.
Dem Candidate: GOP Worse Than ISIS|Olivia Nuzzi|September 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The bully of the music-hall shouting "Jingo" had his special audience.
The Whirlpool|George Gissing
Wherever Henry or his allies could bribe or bully the learned doctors, an answer was usually given in the affirmative.
A Student's History of England, v. 2 (of 3)|Samuel R. Gardiner.
Once Starrett had motored up officiously to bully Wherry into coming back to him.
Diane of the Green Van|Leona Dalrymple
Bully yarn youve turned up, came his appreciative comment over the clatter of the keys.
The Gray Phantom's Return|Herman Landon
Men are a good deal like pintos; some you can coax and some you can bully, but they all of 'em buck at the first gate.
The Fifth Ace|Douglas Grant

British Dictionary definitions for bully

bully

noun plural -lies

a person who hurts, persecutes, or intimidates weaker people

archaic a hired ruffian

obsolete a procurer; pimp

obsolete a fine fellow or friend

obsolete a sweetheart; darling

verb -lies, -lying or -lied

(when tr , often foll by into) to hurt, intimidate, or persecute (a weaker or smaller person), esp to make him do something

adjective

dashing; jollymy bully boy

informal very good; fine

interjection

Also: bully for you informal well done! bravo!

Word Origin for bully

C16 (in the sense: sweetheart, hence fine fellow, hence swaggering coward): probably from Middle Dutch boele lover, from Middle High German buole, perhaps childish variant of bruoder brother

noun plural -lies

any of various small freshwater fishes of the genera Gobiomorphus and Philynodon of New ZealandAlso called (NZ): pakoko, titarakura, toitoi

Word Origin for bully

C20: short for cockabully

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

Word Origin and History for bully

bully

1530s, originally "sweetheart," applied to either sex, from Dutch boel "lover; brother," probably a diminutive of Middle Dutch broeder "brother" (cf. Middle High German buole "brother," source of German Buhle "lover;" see brother (n.)).

Meaning deteriorated 17c. through "fine fellow" and "blusterer" to "harasser of the weak" (1680s, from bully-ruffian, 1650s). Perhaps this was by influence of bull (n.1), but a connecting sense between "lover" and "ruffian" may be in "protector of a prostitute," which was one sense of bully (though not specifically attested until 1706). The expression meaning "worthy, jolly, admirable" (especially in 1864 U.S. slang bully for you!) is first attested 1680s, and preserves an earlier, positive sense of the word.

bully

1710, from bully (n.). Related: Bullied; bullying.

bully

noun, plural bul·lies.

verb (used with object), bul·lied, bul·ly·ing.

verb (used without object), bul·lied, bul·ly·ing.

adjective

interjection

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of bully

bully

noun

Origin of bully

bully

noun, plural bul·lies.

Origin of bully

Examples from the Web for bully

bully

noun plural -lies

verb -lies, -lying or -lied

adjective

interjection

Word Origin for bully

noun plural -lies

Word Origin for bully

bully

bully