bully

See also:Bully

English

Etymology

From 1530, as a term of endearment, probably a diminutive ( +‎-y) ofDutchboel(“lover; brother”),fromMiddle Dutchboel,boele(“brother; lover”),fromOld Dutch*buolo,fromProto-Germanic*bōlô(compareMiddle Low Germanbôle(“brother”),Middle High Germanbuole(“brother; close relative; close relation”)(whence GermanBuhle(“lover”)),Old EnglishBōla,Bōlla(personal name),diminutive of expressive*bō-(“brother, father”).Compare alsoLatvianbālinš(“brother”).More atboy.

The term acquired a negative connotation during the 17th century; first ‘noisy, blustering fellow’ then ‘a person who is cruel to others’. Possibly influenced bybull(“male cattle”)or via the ‘prostitute's minder’ sense.The positive senses are dated, but survive in phrases such asbully pulpit.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):/ˈbʊli/

• Audio(US):

  (file)

• Rhymes:-ʊli

Noun

bully(countableanduncountable,pluralbullies)

1. A person who is intentionally physically or emotionallycruelto others, especially to those whom they perceive as being vulnerable or of less power or privilege.[from late 17th c.]

   A playgroundbullypushed a girl off the swing.

   I noticed you being abullytowards people with disabilities.

2. A noisy, blustering, tyrannical person, moreinsolentthan courageous; one who is threatening andquarrelsome.
   • 1840September 22,Lord Palmerston,The Life of Henry John Temple, Viscount of Palmerston‎^[1],3rd edition, volume 2, published1871,page327:

     Besides,bulliesseldom execute the threats they deal in; and men of trick and cunning are not always men of desperate resolves.

3. Ahiredthug.

   Synonyms:henchman,thug

   • 1849,John McLean,Notes of a Twenty-Five Years' Service in the Hudson's Bay Territory,pages42–3:

     Mr. Fisher returned from town... he had learnt that our opponents intended to shift the scene of operations to the Chats... We understood that they had hired twobulliesfor the purpose of deciding the matterpar voie de fait.Mr Fisher hired two of the same description, who were supposed to be more than a match for the opposition party.

4. Asex worker'sminder.

   Synonyms:pimp;see alsoThesaurus:pimp

   • 2009,Dan Cruikshank,Secret History of Georgian London,Random House, page473:

     The Proclamation Society and the Society for the Suppression of Vice were more concerned with obscene literature […] than with hands-on street battles with prostitutes and theirbullies[…].

5. (uncountable)Bully beef.
6. (obsolete)Abrisk,dashingfellow.
   • c.1595–1596(date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”,inMr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies(First Folio), London:[…]Isaac Iaggard,andEd[ward]Blount,published1623,→OCLC,[Act III, scene i]:

     What sayest thou,BullyBottom?

7. The smallscrumin the Eton Collegefield game.
8. Any of various smallfreshwaterorbrackishwaterfish of the familyEleotridae;sleeper gobies.

   

   Acommon bully,Gobiomorphus cotidianus

9. (obsoleteordialectal,IrelandandNorthern England)An (eldest)brother;afellowworkman;comrade
   • 1824,Robert Gilchrist,“The Skipper's Erudition”,inA Collection of Original Local Songs‎^[2],page11:

     Frae Team Gut to Whitley, we' coals black an' brown
     For theAmphitriteloaded, the keel had come down—
     But thebulliesower neet had their gobs se oft wet,
     That the nyem o' the ship yen an' a' did forget.

10. (dialectal)Acompanion;mate(male or female).

    Synonyms:seeThesaurus:friend

11. (obsolete)Adarling,sweetheart(male or female).

    Synonyms:seeThesaurus:sweetheart

    • 1599(date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”,inMr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies[…](First Folio), London:[…]Isaac Iaggard,andEd[ward]Blount,published1623,→OCLC,[Act IV, scene i]:

      I kiss his dirty shoe, and from heart-string / I love the lovelybully.What is thy name?

    • 1753,Samuel Richardson,“Letter 15”, inThe History of Sir Charles Grandison:

      I have promised to be with the sweetbullyearly in the morning of her important day.

    • 1848,William Carleton,Fardorougha the Miser‎^[3],page16:

      What!manim-an—kiss your child, man alive. That I may never, but he looks at the darlin’ as if it was a sod of turf! Throth you’re not worthy of havin’ such abully.

12. (field hockey)Astandoffbetween two players from the opposing teams, who repeatedly hit each other'shockey sticksand then attempt to acquire the ball, as a method of resuming the game in certain circumstances.

    Synonym:bully-off

13. (mining)A miner'shammer.

Derived terms

• American bully
• antibully
• bulliness
• bully-boy
• bullycide
• bullydom
• bullyee
• bullyish
• bullyism
• bullylike
• bullyman
• bully-off
• bullyproof
• bullysome
• bully stick
• bully tree
• bully XL
• crybully
• cyberbully
• flat-track bully
• nonbully
• XL bully

Translations

a person who is intentionally cruel to others

• Afrikaans:boelie
• Arabic:مُسْتَأْسِدm(mustaʔsid),مُتَنَمِّرm(mutanammir)
• Armenian:խուլիգան(hy)(xuligan)
• Basque:jazarlea
• Bulgarian:хулига́н(bg)m(huligán),побо́йник(bg)m(pobójnik)
• Catalan:assetjadorm
• Chinese:

  Mandarin:Thổ bá(zh)(tǔbà),Bạo đồ(zh)(bàotú)

• Czech:surovec(cs)m,násilník(cs)m,tyran(cs)m
• Danish:bølle,tyran
• Dutch:wreedaard(nl)morf,pestkop(nl)m,treiteraar(nl)m
• Esperanto:tirano(eo)
• Estonian:türann,kiusaja,riiukukk
• Finnish:kiusaaja(fi)
• French:brimeur(fr)m,brute(fr)f,tyran(fr)m
• Galician:bragoleánm,bravoeirom,cacheteirom,rifónm,matón(gl)mtasqueirónm,tarapuxeirom
• Georgian:მოძალადე(moʒalade)
• German:Rabauke(de)m,Bullym,Tyrann(de)m,Schikaneurm
• Gothic:𐍃𐌻𐌰𐌷𐌰𐌻𐍃m(slahals)
• Greek:νταής(el)m(ntaḯs)
• Hebrew:בִּרְיוֹן(he)m(biryón)
• Hindi:क्रूरm(krūr),दबंग(hi)m(dabaṅg),धौंसबाजm(dha͠usbāj),धौँसिया(hi)m(dha͠usiyā)
• Icelandic:hrekkjusvín(is)n
• Ingrian:puruli
• Irish:ansmachtaím,bulaím
• Italian:bullo(it)m,spaccone(it)m,smargiasso(it)m,prepotente(it)m,arrogante(it)m
• Japanese:Hà め(ja)(いじめ, ijime),Hà めっ tử(いじめっこ, ijimekko)
• Khmer:អ្នកធ្វើបាប(nĕək thvəə baap)
• Korean:괴롭히는사람(goerophineun saram),깡패(ko)(kkangpae)
• Latin:grassātorm
• Macedonian:силе́џијаm(silédžija),на́силникm(násilnik)
• Maori:kaiwhakawetiweti,kaiwhakaweti
• Mongolian:дээрэлхэх(mn)(deerelxex)
• Norman:brutam
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål:bøllem

• Portuguese:rufiam,rufião(pt)m,valentão(pt)m
• Romanian:tiran(ro)m
• Russian:зади́ра(ru)morf(zadíra),забия́ка(ru)morf(zabijáka),громи́ла(ru)morf(gromíla),хулига́н(ru)m(xuligán),тира́н(ru)m(tirán)
• Scottish Gaelic:maoidhearm,burraidhm,pulaidhm
• Spanish:bravucón(es)m,abusón(es)m,matón,abusador(es)m,peleónm,pendenciero(es)m,perdonavidas(es)m,matasietem,buleador
• Swedish:mobbare(sv)c
• Thai:คนพาล(kon-paan)
• Turkish:zorba(tr)
• Ukrainian:хуліга́нm(xulihán),забія́каmorf(zabijáka)
• Vietnamese:đầu gấu(vi)

a hired thug

• Bulgarian:главоре́з(bg)m(glavoréz)
• Finnish:palkattupahoinpitelijä
• Latin:grassātorm
• Macedonian:си́лникm(sílnik)
• Russian:головоре́з(ru)m(golovoréz)
• Spanish:matónm,sicario(es)m

pimp—seepimp

bully beef—seebully beef

a small freshwater fish

• Maori:hawai,tītarakura

Verb

bully(third-person singular simple presentbullies,present participlebullying,simple past and past participlebullied)

1. (transitive)Tointimidate(someone) as a bully.

   Synonyms:seeThesaurus:intimidate

   You shouldn'tbullypeople for being weak.

   • 1938,Norman Lindsay,Age of Consent,1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.:Ure Smith,published1962,→OCLC,page218:

     Bradly's stomach kinked in on itself, thinking of Cora struck silly with that corpse on her hands and the copperbullyingthe truth out of her.

   • 2022August 26, Brad Lendon, “'Xi Jinping doesn't scare me': US Sen. Marsha Blackburn lands in Taiwan, vows not to be bullied by China”, inCNN‎^[4],archived fromthe originalon26 August 2022‎^[5]:

     United States Sen. Marsha Blackburn on Thursday became the latest member of Congress to visit Taiwan defying pressure from Beijing, saying, "I will not bebulliedby Communist China into turning my back on the island. "

2. (transitive)To actaggressivelytowards.

   Synonyms:push around,ride roughshod over

   • 2011January 15, Sam Sheringham, “Chelsea 2 -03 Blackburn Rovers”, inBBC‎^[6]:

     The Potters know their strengths and played to them perfectly here, out-muscling Bolton in midfield andbullyingthe visitors' back-line at every opportunity.

Derived terms

• bulliable
• bullyable
• outbully

Translations

to intimidate

• Bulgarian:заплашвам(bg)(zaplašvam)
• Cherokee:ᎦᏁᏄᎵᎠ(ganenulia)
• Chinese:

  Cantonese:Hà／Hà(haa¹)

  Mandarin:Khi phụ／Khi phụ(zh)(qīfu),Khi vũ(zh)(qīwǔ),Vũ mạn(zh)(wǔmàn)

• Czech:šikanovat(cs),zastrašovatimpf
• Danish:herse med,mobbe(da)
• Dutch:pesten(nl),treiteren(nl),jennen(nl)
• Esperanto:ĉikani(eo)
• Estonian:kiusama
• Finnish:kiusata(fi)
• French:intimider(fr)
• German:einschüchtern(de),schikanieren(de),kujonieren(de)
• Guaraní:ñembosarái
• Hindi:दबंगी(dabaṅgī),धौंसना(dha͠usnā),धौँसना(hi)(dha͠usnā),धौंसबाजी(dha͠usbājī)
• Hungarian:megfélemlít(hu)
• Icelandic:leggja í einelti
• Irish:ansmachtaigh
• Japanese:Hà める(ja)(いじめる, ijimeru)
• Korean:괴롭히다(ko)(goerophida)
• Macedonian:запла́шува(zaplášuva),застра́шува(zastrášuva)
• Maori:hawene,whakaweti,whakawetiweti,whakahakahaka
• Norwegian:mobbe(no)
• Polish:znęcać się(pl)
• Portuguese:intimidar(pt),bulir(pt),oprimir(pt)
• Romanian:intimida(ro)
• Russian:запу́гивать(ru)impf(zapúgivatʹ),запуга́ть(ru)pf(zapugátʹ),страща́ть(ru)impf(straščátʹ),застраща́ть(ru)pf(zastraščátʹ)
• Scottish Gaelic:maoidh
• Spanish:intimidar(es),chulear(es),acosar(es),hacerbullying,matonear(es),bulear
• Swedish:mobba(sv)
• Thai:ข่มเหงรังแก(khmheng rạngkæ)
• Ukrainian:хуліган(xulihan)
• Vietnamese:bắt nạt(vi)

to act aggressively towards

• Bulgarian:тиранизирам(bg)(tiraniziram)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin:Khi phụ／Khi phụ(zh)(qīfù)

• Czech:týratimpf,šikanovat(cs)impf
• Danish:tyrannisere
• Esperanto:ĉikani(eo)
• Estonian:terroriseerima,türanniseerima
• Finnish:kiusata(fi)
• French:tourmenter(fr),terroriser(fr),maltraiter(fr),tyranniser(fr),harceler(fr)
• German:tyrannisieren(de),drangsalieren(de),kujonieren(de)
• Macedonian:малтрети́ра(maltretíra),тиранизи́ра(tiranizíra),тероризи́ра(terorizíra)
• Maori:whakahakahaka
• Portuguese:atormentar(pt),aterrorizar(pt),maltratar(pt),tiranizar(pt),oprimir(pt)
• Russian:тиранизи́ровать(ru)(tiranizírovatʹ),задира́ть(ru)impf(zadirátʹ),задра́ть(ru)pf(zadrátʹ),терроризи́ровать(ru)(terrorizírovatʹ)
• Scottish Gaelic:maoidh
• Spanish:tiranizar(es),acosar(es)
• Turkish:zorbalık etmek(tr)
• Vietnamese:bắt nạt(vi)

Adjective

bully(comparativebullier,superlativebulliest)

1. (US,slang,dated)Very good.

   Synonyms:excellent;see alsoThesaurus:excellent

   abullyhorse

   • 1861,Daniel Bryant,Bryant's Songs from Dixie's Land‎^[7],page19:

     To sing abullysong I'll try, /Bullyfor you,bullyfor you, / Gay as they make them, here I am, /Bullyfor you, for you.

   • 1916,The Independent,volumes35-36,page 6:

     She is abullywoman, not only a good mother, but a wonderful in-law

2. (slang,obsolete)Jovial and blustering.

   Synonym:dashing

   • 1597,William Shakespeare,The Merry Wives of Windsor,act II, scene iii:

     Bless thee,bullydoctor!

Derived terms

• bully boy
• bully pulpit

Translations

very good; excellent

• Bulgarian:първокласен(bg)(pǎrvoklasen)
• Czech:super(cs),skvělý(cs),prvotřídní
• Danish:fin,udmærket
• French:génial(fr),top(fr)
• Macedonian:о́дличен(ódličen)
• Portuguese:valente(pt)

Interjection

bully

1. (often followed byfor)Well done!

   Synonyms:seeThesaurus:well done

   Bully,she's finally asked for that promotion!

   • 1979,Jerome Alden,Bully: An Adventure with Teddy Roosevelt,→OCLC,page 3:

     Bully! Bully!Finis coronet opus,“the end crowns all”; “may the last be the best!” By Godfrey it was delightful.

Translations

well done!

• Danish:fint,udmærket
• Esperanto:brave(eo)
• French:bravo(fr)
• Macedonian:бра́во(brávo)
• Portuguese:bravo(pt)
• Spanish:bravo(es)

Further reading

• bullyon Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed fromEnglishbully,itself a derivation ofDutchboel(“lover; brother”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):/ˈbu.li/
• Hyphenation:bul‧ly

Noun

bullym(pluralbully's)

1. (field hockey)bully(way of resuming the game with a standoff between two opposing players who repeatedly hit each other's sticks, then try to gain possession of the ball)

Spanish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowingfromEnglishbully.

Noun

bullym(pluralbullysorbulliesorbully)

1. bully

Usage notes

According toRoyal Spanish Academy(RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics are not available. In practice, this RAE prescription is not always followed.