bully

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) 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. (countable, uncountable) A noisy, blustering, tyrannical person, more insolent than courageous; one who is threatening and quarrelsome.
3. (countable, uncountable) A hired thug.
4. (countable, uncountable) A sex worker's minder.
5. (uncountable) Bully beef.
6. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) A brisk, dashing fellow.
7. (countable, uncountable) The small scrum in the Eton College field game.
8. (countable, uncountable) Any of various small freshwater or brackishwater fish of the family Eleotridae; sleeper gobies.
9. (Ireland, Northern-England, countable, dialectal, obsolete, uncountable) An (eldest) brother; a fellow workman; comrade
10. (countable, dialectal, uncountable) A companion; mate (male or female).
11. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) A darling, sweetheart (male or female).
12. (countable, uncountable) 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. (countable, uncountable) A miner's hammer.

Verb

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

Adj

1. (US, dated, slang) Very good.
2. (obsolete, slang) Jovial and blustering.

Intj

Well done; often sarcastic in modern use.

Synonyms

browbeat

intimidate

hector

ruffian

harass

persecute

tease

menace

tyrannize

annoy

oppress

pressure

threaten

squabbler

force

coerce

peachy

smashing

blusterer

cow

🐮

terrorize

great

hooligan

compel

swagger

bulldoze

slap-up

yobo

push around

strong-arm

dandy

bluster

boss around

bang-up

corking

groovy

domineer

nifty

bullyrag

spiffing

swashbuckler

roughneck

distress

rowdy

swell

neat

not bad

mistreat

cracking

keen

Translations

matón

schikanieren

brute

tourmenter

querelleur

pendenciero

tyrannisieren

einschüchtern

bullo

Streithahn

intimidar

Raufbold

kujonieren

tyran

batailleur

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈbʊli/

Etymology

Cognate with Middle Low German: bôle

Cognate with Middle High German: buole

Cognate with Old English: Bōla

Cognate with Latvian: bālinš

In summary

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 of expressive *bō- (“brother, father”). Compare also Latvian bālinš (“brother”). More at boy.
The term acquired a negative connotation during the 17th century; first ‘noisy, blustering fellow’ then ‘a person who is cruel to others’. Possibly influenced by bull (“male cattle”) or via the ‘prostitute's minder’ sense. The positive senses are dated, but survive in phrases such as bully pulpit.