bully

== English == === 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. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈbʊli/ Rhymes: -ʊli === Noun === bully (countable and uncountable, plural bullies) 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. [from late 17th c.] A noisy, blustering, tyrannical person, more insolent than courageous; one who is threatening and quarrelsome. A hired thug. Synonyms: henchman, thug A sex worker's minder. Synonyms: pimp; see also Thesaurus:pimp (uncountable) Bully beef. (obsolete) A brisk, dashing fellow. The small scrum in the Eton College field game. Any of various small freshwater or brackishwater fish of the family Eleotridae; sleeper gobies. (obsolete or dialectal, Ireland and Northern England) An (eldest) brother; a fellow workman; comrade (dialectal) A companion; mate (male or female). Synonyms: see Thesaurus:friend (obsolete) A darling, sweetheart (male or female). Synonyms: see Thesaurus: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. Synonym: bully-off (mining) A miner's hammer. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Verb === bully (third-person singular simple present bullies, present participle bullying, simple past and past participle bullied) (transitive) To intimidate (someone) as a bully. Synonyms: see Thesaurus:intimidate (transitive) To act aggressively towards. Synonyms: push around, ride roughshod over ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === bully (comparative bullier, superlative bulliest) (US, slang, dated) Very good. Synonyms: excellent; see also Thesaurus:excellent (slang, obsolete) Jovial and blustering. Synonym: dashing ==== Derived terms ==== bully boy bully pulpit ==== Translations ==== === Interjection === bully (often followed by for) Well done; often sarcastic in modern use. Synonyms: see Thesaurus:well done ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === bully on Wikipedia.Wikipedia == Dutch == === Etymology === Borrowed from English bully, itself a derivation of Dutch boel (“lover; brother”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈbu.li/ Hyphenation: bul‧ly === Noun === bully m (plural bully's, no diminutive) (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 borrowing from English bully. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈbuli/ [ˈbu.li] Rhymes: -uli Syllabification: bu‧lly === Noun === bully m or f by sense (plural bullys or bullies or bully) bully ==== Usage notes ==== According to Royal 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.