bully Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a cruel and brutal fellow
    yobo; ruffian; tough; roughneck; hooligan; rowdy; yob; yobbo.
  2. noun a hired thug
  3. verb be bossy towards
    ballyrag; bullyrag; hector; push around; boss around; strong-arm; browbeat.
    • Her big brother always bullied her when she was young
  4. verb discourage or frighten with threats or a domineering manner; intimidate
    swagger; browbeat.
  5. adjective satellite very good
    groovy; dandy; corking; not bad; swell; smashing; great; keen; slap-up; neat; cracking; nifty; peachy; bang-up.
    • he did a bully job
    • a neat sports car
    • had a great time at the party
    • you look simply smashing

WordNet

Bul"ly noun
Etymology
Cf. LG. bullerjaan, bullerbäk, bullerbrook, a blusterer, D. bulderaar a bluster, bulderen to bluster; prob. of imitative origin; or cf. MHG. buole lover, G. buhle.
Wordforms
plural Bullies
Definitions
  1. A noisy, blustering fellow, more insolent than courageous; one who is threatening and quarrelsome; an insolent, tyrannical fellow.
    Bullies seldom execute the threats they deal in. Palmerston.
  2. A brisk, dashing fellow. Slang Obs. Shak.
Bul"ly adjective
Definitions
  1. Jovial and blustering; dashing. Slang "Bless thee, bully doctor." Shak.
  2. Fine; excellent; as, a bully horse. Slang, U.S.
Bul"ly transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Bullied present participle & verbal noun Bullying
Definitions
  1. To intimidate with threats and by an overbearing, swaggering demeanor; to act the part of a bully toward.
    For the last fortnight there have been prodigious shoals of volunteers gone over to bully the French, upon hearing the peace was just signing. Tatler.
    Syn. -- To bluster; swagger; hector; domineer.
Bul"ly intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To act as a bully.

Webster 1913