bully
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈbʊli/
rhymes: -ʊli
Forms: form: bullies
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 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.
Senses: examples: text: A playground bully pushed a girl off the swing.
text: I noticed you being a bully towards people with disabilities.
glosses: 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.
examples: text: Besides, bullies seldom execute the threats they deal in; and men of trick and cunning are not always men of desperate resolves.
ref: 1840 September 22, Lord Palmerston, The Life of Henry John Temple, Viscount of Palmerston, 3rd edition, volume 2, published 1871, page 327:
glosses: A noisy, blustering, tyrannical person, more insolent than courageous; one who is threatening and quarrelsome.
examples: text: 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 two bullies for the purpose of deciding the matter par voie de fait. Mr Fisher hired two of the same description, who were supposed to be more than a match for the opposition party.
ref: 1849, John McLean, Notes of a Twenty-Five Years' Service in the Hudson's Bay Territory, pages 42–3:
synonyms: henchman
thug
glosses: A hired thug.
examples: text: 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 their bullies […].
ref: 2009, Dan Cruikshank, Secret History of Georgian London, Random House, page 473:
synonyms: word: pimp
word: abbot
word: bludger
word: bully
word: cock-bawd
word: dalaal
word: fishmonger
word: flashman
word: fleshmonger
word: hoon
word: hustler
word: mackerel
word: mack
word: mack daddy
word: muttonmonger
word: nookie-bookie
word: pandar
word: pimp
word: pussymonger
word: ruffian
word: souteneur
word: sweetman
word: whoreman
word: whoremaster
word: whoremonger
glosses: A sex worker's minder.
glosses: Bully beef.
examples: text: What sayest thou, Bully Bottom?
ref: c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
glosses: A brisk, dashing fellow.
glosses: The small scrum in the Eton College field game.
glosses: Any of various small freshwater or brackishwater fish of the family Eleotridae; sleeper gobies.
examples: text: Frae Team Gut to Whitley, we' coals black an' brown
For the Amphitrite loaded, the keel had come down—
But the bullies ower neet had their gobs se oft wet,
That the nyem o' the ship yen an' a' did forget.
ref: 1824, Robert Gilchrist, “The Skipper's Erudition”, in A Collection of Original Local Songs, page 11:
glosses: An (eldest) brother; a fellow workman; comrade
synonyms: word: babber
word: billy
word: bredrin
word: bruv
word: bud
word: buddo
word: buddy
word: butty
word: chaver
word: china
word: chuck
word: chum
word: cock
word: cocker
word: cobber
word: compadre
word: comrade
word: companion
word: cove
word: crony
word: dawg
word: dude
word: duck
word: fam
word: fettler
word: friend
word: geez
word: geezer
word: gink
word: good old boy
word: homeskillet
word: homie
word: kith
word: lover
word: marrow
word: mate
word: matey
word: mucker
word: old bean
word: pal
word: pardner
word: peeps
word: shag
word: sport
word: surry
word: tovarish
word: wantok
glosses: A companion; mate (male or female).
examples: text: I kiss his dirty shoe, and from heart-string / I love the lovely bully. What is thy name?
ref: 1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
text: I have promised to be with the sweet bully early in the morning of her important day.
ref: 1753, Samuel Richardson, “Letter 15”, in The History of Sir Charles Grandison:
text: 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 a bully.
ref: 1848, William Carleton, Fardorougha the Miser, page 16:
synonyms: word: babber
word: babe
word: precious
word: bae
word: baby
word: babycakes
word: bubba
word: bully
word: buttercup
word: cabbage
word: chickabiddy
word: chickadee
word: chuck
word: cupcake
word: cutie
word: dag
word: darling
word: dear
word: dear heart
word: dearest
word: dearie
word: dearling
word: doll
word: doodlebug
word: dove
word: duck
word: ducky
word: dumpling
word: fam
word: heart
word: heartface
word: heartling
word: heartmate
word: hinny
word: hon
word: honey
word: honey bun
word: honeybunch
word: honeybug
word: honeybunny
word: honeycakes
word: honeypie
word: jewel
word: jo
word: kidder
word: lambchop
word: lambkin
word: lass (archaic except UK
word: dialectal (chiefly Geordie
word: Wearside)
word: informal or poetic)
word: liefling
word: little one
word: love
word: lovebug
word: loveling
word: lovie
word: luvvy
word: m'dear
word: miting
word: moppet
word: mopsy
word: mouse
word: muffin
word: muss
word: old bean
word: old sport
word: pally
word: pet
word: petal
word: poppet
word: pug
word: pumpkin
word: pussums
word: pussy
word: sausage
word: schnookums
word: shug
word: snicklefritz
word: snookums
word: snuggums
word: squishy
word: sug
word: sugar
word: sugar baby
word: sugar beet
word: sugar-plum
word: sugarpie
word: sweet pea
word: sweetcheeks
word: sweetheart
word: sweetie
word: sweetie pie
word: sweets
word: sweetling
word: treasure
word: woobie
glosses: A darling, sweetheart (male or female).
synonyms: bully-off
qualifier: field hockey
glosses: 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.
topics: business
mining
glosses: A miner's hammer.
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