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bully - 11 dictionary results
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bul⋅ly
1 [boo
l-ee]
noun, plural -lies, verb, -lied, -ly⋅ing, adjective, interjection –noun
| 1. | a blustering, quarrelsome, overbearing person who habitually badgers and intimidates smaller or weaker people. |
| 2. | Archaic. a man hired to do violence. |
| 3. | Obsolete. a pimp; procurer. |
| 4. | Obsolete. good friend; good fellow. |
| 5. | Obsolete. sweetheart; darling. |
–verb (used with object)
| 6. | to act the bully toward; intimidate; domineer. |
–verb (used without object)
| 7. | to be loudly arrogant and overbearing. |
–adjective
| 8. | Informal. fine; excellent; very good. |
| 9. | dashing; jovial; high-spirited. |
–interjection
| 10. | Informal. good! well done! |
Origin:
1530–40; < MD boele lover
1530–40; < MD boele lover

Related forms:
bul⋅ly⋅a⋅ble, adjective
Synonyms:
6. cow, browbeat, coerce; terrorize, tyrannize.
6. cow, browbeat, coerce; terrorize, tyrannize.
bul⋅ly
3 [boo
l-ee]
–noun, plural -lies.
| 1. | Soccer. a desperate, freewheeling scramble for the ball by a number of players, usually in the goal area. |
| 2. | 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:
1860–65; of obscure orig.
1860–65; of obscure orig.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To bully
bul·ly 1 (bŏŏl'ē) n. pl. bul·lies
v. tr.
interj. Used to express approval: Bully for you! [Possibly from Middle Dutch boele, sweetheart, probably alteration of broeder, brother; see bhrāter- in Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Bully
Bul"ly\, n.; pl. Bullies. [Cf. LG. bullerjaan, bullerb["a]k, bullerbrook, a blusterer, D. bulderaar a bluster, bulderen to bluster; prob. of imitative origin; or cf. MHG. buole lover, G. buhle.]1. A noisy, blustering fellow, more insolent than courageous; one who is threatening and quarrelsome; an insolent, tyrannical fellow. Bullies seldom execute the threats they deal in. --Palmerston. 2. A brisk, dashing fellow. [Slang Obs.] --Shak.Bully
Bul"ly\, a. 1. Jovial and blustering; dashing. [Slang] "Bless thee, bully doctor." --Shak. 2. Fine; excellent; as, a bully horse. [Slang, U.S.]Bully
Bul"ly\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bullied; p. pr. & vb. n. Bullying.] To intimidate with threats and by an overbearing, swaggering demeanor; to act the part of a bully toward. For the last fortnight there have been prodigious shoals of volunteers gone over to bully the French, upon hearing the peace was just signing. --Tatler. Syn: To bluster; swagger; hector; domineer.Bully
Bul"ly\, v. i. To act as a bully.Bully
Bul"ly\, n., Bully beef \Bul"ly beef`\ [F. bouilli boiled meat, fr. bouillir to boil. See Boil, v. The word bouilli was formerly commonly used on the labels of canned beef.] Pickled or canned beef.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : bully
Spanish:
matón,
German:
der Tyrann,
Japanese:
弱い者いじめ
bully (n.)
1538, originally "sweetheart," applied to either sex, from Du. boel "lover, brother," probably dim. of M.H.G. buole "brother," of uncertain origin (cf. Ger. buhle "lover"). Meaning deteriorated 17c. through "fine fellow," "blusterer," to "harasser of the weak" (1653). Perhaps this was by infl. of bull, 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 verb is first attested 1710. The expression meaning "worthy, jolly, admirable" (esp. in 1864 U.S. slang bully for you!) is first attested 1681, and preserves an earlier, positive sense of the word.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Take Action Stop Bullying
10 Actions You Can Take Now to Identify and Stop Bullying!
www.Education.com/Bullying
10 Actions You Can Take Now to Identify and Stop Bullying!
www.Education.com/Bullying
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