John Bull

noun

John Bull

John Bull

A figure who stands for England in literary and political satire and in cartoons. John Bull is a stout, feisty man, often shown in a suit made out of the British flag.

John Bull is the British equivalent of the United States' symbol (see also symbol ) Uncle Sam .

1705–15; named after John Bull, chief character in Arbuthnot's allegory The History of John Bull (1712)

C18: name of a character intended to be representative of the English nation in The History of John Bull (1712) by John Arbuthnot

In all this he could count on, as we can always count on, good old John Bull.

Donald has a still cooler head than his neighbour John Bull, and that is saying a good deal.

Hogarth is the embodiment of John Bull; you can hear him growl, like some savage bull-dog.

If there is a John Bull on earth who can wear a dress suit with ease and elegance, he has not yet been discovered.

But the rest of the luncheon, when it came, proved that John Bull was under no necessity of stinting himself.

A little later, John Bull's short memory is satirized in his protest against the size of his new watch-dog.

April 24, 2024gallimaufry

[gal-uh-maw-free ]

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