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bullyboy

American  
[bool-ee-boi] / ˈbʊl iˌbɔɪ /

noun

  1. a ruffian or hired hoodlum, especially one working for or associated with a political group.


bullyboy British  
/ ˈbʊlɪˌbɔɪ /

noun

    1. a ruffian or tough, esp a hired one

    2. ( as modifier )

      bullyboy tactics

"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

Etymology

Origin of bullyboy

First recorded in 1600–10; bully 1 + boy

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In an op-ed, Collins responded that he would not be cowed by Banks’s “bullyboy tactics.”

From The New Yorker

Likewise, there is also now a place in the Republican party for bullyboy politics and Jew-baiting too, even with Ivanka and Jared around.

From The Guardian

Russia as a Middle East bullyboy has been a nuisance for the United States.

From Washington Post

The leading bullyboy in this part of the world is North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un.

From Washington Post

He insists to this day that the Review-Journal’s new owner – “The bullyboy of Las Vegas Boulevard” – solely intended to make an example of him.

From The Guardian