Advertisement

View synonyms for bull

bull

1

[ bool ]

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 mammals, as elephants and moose.
  3. a large, solidly built person.
  4. a person who believes that market prices, especially of stocks, will increase ( bear ).
  5. Bull, Astronomy, Astrology. the constellation or sign of Taurus.
  6. Slang. a police officer.


adjective

  1. male.
  2. of, relating to, or resembling a bull, as in strength.
  3. having to do with or marked by a continuous trend of rising prices, as of stocks:

    a bull market.

verb (used with object)

  1. Stock Exchange. to attempt to raise the price of.
  2. to speculate in, in expectation of a rise in price.
  3. to force; shove:

    to bull one's way through a crowd.

  4. Nautical. to ram (a buoy).

bull

2

[ bool ]

noun

, Slang.
  1. exaggeration, lies, or nonsense.

bull

3

[ bool ]

noun

  1. a bulla or seal.
  2. Roman Catholic Church. a formal papal document having a bulla attached.

Bull

4

[ bool ]

noun

  1. O·le (Bor·ne·mann) [oh, -l, uh, , bor, -n, uh, -mahn], 1810–80, Norwegian violinist and composer.

bull.

5

abbreviation for

  1. bulletin.

bull

1

/ bʊl /

noun

  1. a ludicrously self-contradictory or inconsistent statement Also calledIrish bull


Bull

2

/ bʊl /

noun

  1. BullJohn15631628MEnglishMUSIC: composerMUSIC: organist John . 1563–1628, English composer and organist

bull

3

/ bʊl /

noun

  1. any male bovine animal, esp one that is sexually mature 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
    1. a speculator who buys in anticipation of rising prices in order to make a profit on resale
    2. ( as modifier ) Compare bear 1

      a bull market

  6. slang.
    short for bullshit
  7. a bull in a china shop
    a bull in a china shop a clumsy person
  8. shoot the bull slang.
    shoot the bull
    1. to pass time talking lightly
    2. to boast or exaggerate
  9. take the bull by the horns
    take the bull by the horns to face and tackle a difficulty without shirking

adjective

  1. male; masculine

    a bull elephant

  2. large; strong

verb

  1. tr to raise or attempt to raise the price or prices of (a stock market or a security) by speculative buying
  2. intr (of a cow) to be on heat
  3. slang.
    intr to talk lightly or foolishly

Bull

4

/ bʊl /

noun

  1. the Bull
    the Bull the constellation Taurus, the second sign of the zodiac

bull

5

/ bʊl /

noun

  1. a formal document issued by the pope, written in antiquated characters and often sealed with a leaden bulla

Discover More

Other Words From

  • bull-like adjective

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of bull1

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English bule, Old English bula; akin to Old Norse boli; Greek phallós “penis,” from a root meaning “to swell”; bullock

Origin of bull2

First recorded in 1620–30; from Medieval Latin bulla “play, game, jest,” perhaps special use of Latin bulla “bubble”; now generally taken as a euphemistic shortening of bullshit

Origin of bull3

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English bull(e) “a (lead) seal affixed to a papal edict, papal edict; official sealed document,” from Medieval Latin bulla “seal, sealed document,” from Latin ; bulla

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of bull1

C17: of uncertain origin

Origin of bull2

Old English bula , from Old Norse boli ; related to Middle Low German bulle , Middle Dutch bolle

Origin of bull3

C13: from Medieval Latin bulla seal attached to a bull, from Latin: round object

Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. bull in a china shop,
    1. an awkward or clumsy person.
    2. an inconsiderate or tactless person.
    3. a troublemaker; dangerous person.
  2. shoot / throw the bull, Slang. to talk aimlessly:

    We just sat around shooting the bull.

  3. take the bull by the horns, to attack a difficult or risky problem fearlessly.

More idioms and phrases containing bull

  • cock and bull story
  • hit the bull's-eye
  • shoot the breeze (bull)
  • take the bull by the horns

Discover More

Example Sentences

We’ve known for some time that Big Tech is carrying the water in this bull run.

From Fortune

Despite their complexity, amateur investors have been quick to glom onto options during bull markets, viewing them as a way to bet that a given stock will go higher.

From Fortune

While classics like Bloody Marys, micheladas, and bull shots may be the first that come to mind, these days they aren’t the only cocktails to include a touch of saline.

“We don’t believe the bull market is going to end any time soon, but a healthy pullback or even a correction is part of all bull markets,” Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Independent Advisor Alliance, wrote in a note Thursday.

From Fortune

In short, August’s un-August-like performance is adding uncertainty to the tech bull rally.

From Fortune

Yes, the minor-league baseball player memorably portrayed by Kevin Costner in Bull Durham.

He also said police intend to put their beloved family pet, a Staffordshire bull terrier named Excalibur, to sleep.

Biden made many visits to Baghdad and no doubt get fed a load of bull about inclusion on each one.

Like at Bull Run, when I am in the presence of those old family letters, I am transported.

A stoic figure in a white floor length dress and razor-tailored bodice was accessorized with a giant bull skull as a mask.

The well-known "cock and bull" stories of small children are inspired by this love of strong effect.

I thought this young man was going to read us some of his poetry; it's too tiresome of him to stop to tell us about his bull-dog.

And I, for one, absolutely decline to believe in this preposterous story of his about a bull-dog.

Tom leaped on one side; the buffalo-bull turned short round and made another dash at him.

Some who would face a mad bull coolly enough spring with disgust from a cockroach or a centipede.

Advertisement

Word of the Day

petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

Meaning and examples

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


bulkybulla