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bully

Pronunciation: /ˈbʊli/

The English word “bully” has 18 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. A person who is intentionally physically or emotionally cruel to others, especially to those whom they perceive as being vulnerable or of less power or privilege.
  2. A noisy, blustering, tyrannical person, more insolent than courageous; one who is threatening and quarrelsome.
  3. A hired thug.
  4. A sex worker's minder.
  5. Bully beef.
  6. A brisk, dashing fellow.
  7. The small scrum in the Eton College field game.
  8. Any of various small freshwater or brackishwater fish of the family Eleotridae; sleeper gobies.
  9. An (eldest) brother; a fellow workman; comrade
  10. A companion; mate (male or female).
  11. A darling, sweetheart (male or female).
  12. A standoff between two players from the opposing teams, who repeatedly hit each other's hockey sticks and then attempt to acquire the ball, as a method of resuming the game in certain circumstances.
  13. A miner's hammer.

verb

  1. To intimidate (someone) as a bully.
  2. To act aggressively towards.

adjective

  1. Very good.
  2. Jovial and blustering.

interjection

  1. Well done; often sarcastic in modern use.

Etymology

From 1530, as a term of endearment, probably a diminutive ( + -y) of Dutch boel (“lover; brother”), from Middle Dutch boel, boele (“brother; lover”), from Old Dutch *buolo, from Proto-Germanic *bōlô (compare Middle Low German bôle (“brother”), Middle High German buole (“brother; close relative; close relation”) (whence German Buhle (“lover”)), Old English Bōla, Bōlla (personal name), diminutive…

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