bully

English

/ˈbʊli/

noun
Definitions
  • A person who is intentionally, physically, or emotionally cruel to others; especially to those who are weaker or have less power or privilege.
  • A noisy, blustering fellow, more insolent than courageous; one who is threatening and quarrelsome; an insolent, tyrannical fellow.
  • A hired thug.
  • A sex worker’s minder.
  • (uncountable) bully Bully beef.
  • (obsolete) A brisk, dashing fellow.
  • The small scrum in the Eton College field game.
  • Various small freshwater or brackishwater fish of the family ; . bully, Gobiomorphus cotidianus.The ,
  • (obsolete) An (eldest) brother; a fellow workman; comrade
  • (dialectal) A companion; mate .
  • (obsolete) A darling, sweetheart .
  • (field hockey) 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.
  • (mining) A miner's hammer.

Etymology

Derived from Dutch, Flemish boel (brother, lover, bunch) derived from Middle Dutch boel derived from Old Dutch *buolo derived from Proto-Germanic *bōlô.

Origin

Proto-Germanic

*bōlô

Gloss

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms