take the bull by the horns
noun
1.
the male of a bovine animal, especially of the genus Bos, with sexual organs intact and capable of reproduction.
2.
the male of certain other animals, as the elephant and moose.
3.
a large, solidly built person.
5.
(initial capital letter) Astronomy, Astrology. the constellation or sign of Taurus.
adjective
8.
male.
9.
of, pertaining to, or resembling a bull, as in strength.
10.
having to do with or marked by a continuous trend of rising prices, as of stocks: a bull market.
00:10
Take the bull by the horns
is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
verb (used with object)
Idioms 11.
Stock Exchange. to attempt to raise the price of.
12.
to speculate in, in expectation of a rise in price.
13.
to force; shove: to bull one's way through a crowd.
14.
Nautical. to ram (a buoy).
15.
bull in a china shop,
a.
an awkward or clumsy person.
b.
an inconsiderate or tactless person.
c.
a troublemaker; dangerous person.
16.
take the bull by the horns, to attack a difficult or risky problem fearlessly.
Related forms
bull-like, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To take the bull by the horns
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World English Dictionary
bull1 (bʊl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | any male bovine animal, esp one that is sexually matureRelated: taurine |
| 2. | the uncastrated adult male of any breed of domestic cattle |
| 3. | the male of various other animals including the elephant and whale |
| 4. | a very large, strong, or aggressive person |
| 5. | stock exchange |
| a. a speculator who buys in anticipation of rising prices in order to make a profit on resale | |
| b. Compare bear (as modifier): a bull market | |
| 6. | chiefly (Brit) bull's-eye short for bull's-eye |
| 7. | slang short for bullshit |
| 8. | bulldog short for bull terrier |
| 9. | a bull in a china shop a clumsy person |
| 10. | slang (US), (Canadian) shoot the bull |
| a. to pass time talking lightly | |
| b. to boast or exaggerate | |
| 11. | take the bull by the horns to face and tackle a difficulty without shirking |
| —adj | |
| 12. | male; masculine: a bull elephant |
| 13. | large; strong |
| —vb | |
| 14. | (tr) to raise or attempt to raise the price or prices of (a stock market or a security) by speculative buying |
| 15. | (intr) (of a cow) to be on heat |
| 16. | slang (US) (intr) to talk lightly or foolishly |
| Related: taurine | |
| [Old English bula, from Old Norse boli; related to Middle Low German bulle, Middle Dutch bolle] | |
| bull2 (bʊl) | |
| —n | |
| Also called: Irish bull a ludicrously self-contradictory or inconsistent statement | |
| [C17: of uncertain origin] | |
| bull3 (bʊl) | |
| —n | |
| a formal document issued by the pope, written in antiquated characters and often sealed with a leaden bulla | |
| [C13: from Medieval Latin bulla seal attached to a bull, from Latin: round object] | |
| Bull1 (bʊl) | |
| —n | |
| the Bull the constellation Taurus, the second sign of the zodiac | |
| Bull2 (bʊl) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | John. 1563--1628, English composer and organist |
| 2. | See John Bull |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
bull
O.E. bula "a bull, a steer," or O.N. boli "bull," both from P.Gmc. *bullon- (cf. M.Du. bulle, Ger. Bulle), perhaps from a Gmc. verbal stem meaning "to roar," which survives in some Ger. dialects and perhaps in the first element of boulder (q.v.). The other possibility is
that it is from PIE *bhln-, from base *bhel- (2) "to blow, swell" (see bole). An uncastrated male, reared for breeding, as opposed to a bullock or steer. Extended after 1610s to males of other large animals (elephant, alligator, whale, etc.). Bullfrog is from 1738, on resemblance of voice. Stock market sense is from 1714. Bulldyke is from 1926 (see dyke). Bullheaded "obstinate" is from 1818. Phrase to take the bull by the horns first recorded 1711.
bull
"papal edict," c.1300, from L. bulla "sealed document" (cf. O.Fr. bulle, It. bulla), originally the word for the seal itself, from bulla "round swelling, knob," said ultimately to be from Gaulish, from PIE *beu-, a base supposed to have formed words associated with swelling (cf. Lith. bule "buttocks,"
M.Du. puyl "bag").
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
take the bull by the horns definition
Take the initiative in confronting a difficult position: “You'll never decide what you want in life by just thinking about it; you must take the bull by the horns and try out a few possibilities.”
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
bull definition
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
take the bull by the horns
Confront a problem head-on, as in We'll have to take the bull by the horns and tackle the Medicare question. This term most likely alludes to grasping a safely tethered bull, not one the matador is fighting in the ring. [c. 1800]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Nearby Words
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