bully

English

Wikipedia

Etymology

1530, from Dutch boel (“lover, brother”), from Middle Dutch boel, boele (“brother, lover”), from Proto-Germanic *bō-lan- (compare Middle Low German bōle (“brother”), Middle High German buole (“brother, close relative, close relation”), German Buhle (“lover”)), diminutive of expressive *bō- (“brother, father”). More at boy.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈbʊli/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʊli

Noun

bully (countable and uncountable; plural bullies)

1. A person who is cruel to others, especially those who are weaker or have less power.

   I noticed you being a bully towards people with disabilities.

2. A hired thug.
3. A prostitute’s minder; a pimp.
4. (uncountable) Bully beef.

Synonyms

• (hired thug): henchman, thug
• (pimp): pimp, ponce

Translations

person who is cruel to others

• Afrikaans: boelie (af)
• Arabic: مستأسد (ar) (mustá'sid) m
• Bulgarian: хулиган (bg) (huligan) m, побойник (bg) (pobojnik) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 土霸 (cmn) (tǔbà), 暴徒 (cmn) (bàotú)

• Danish: bølle (da), tyran (da)
• Dutch: wreedaard (nl) m and f, pestkop (nl)
• Esperanto: ĉikanulo (eo)
• Estonian: türann (et), kiusaja (et), riiukukk (et)
• Finnish: kiusaaja (fi)
• French: tyran (fr) m, brute (fr) f
• German: Rabauke (de) m, Bully (de) m, Tyrann (de) m
• Hebrew: בריון (he) (biryon) m

• Italian: bullo (it) m, spaccone (it) m, smargiasso (it) m, prepotente (it) m, arrogante (it) m
• Japanese: 苛め (ja) (いじめ, ijime), 苛めっ子 (ja) (いじめっこ, ijimekko)
• Macedonian: силеџија (mk) (silédžija) m, насилник (mk) (násilnik) m
• Portuguese: rufião (pt) m, rufia (pt) f, valentão (pt) m, valentona (pt) f, bruto (pt) m, bruta (pt) f, tirano (pt) m, tirana (pt) f, abusador (pt) m, abusadora (pt) f
• Romanian: tiran (ro) m
• Russian: задира (ru) (zadíra) m and f, забияка (ru) (zabijáka) m and f, громила (ru) (gromíla) m and f, хулиган (ru) (xuligán) m, тиран (ru) (tirán) m
• Scottish Gaelic: maoidhear (gd) m, burraidh (gd) m, pulaidh (gd) m
• Spanish: bravucón (es) m, abusón (es) m, matón (es), abusador (es) m, peleón (es) m, pendenciero (es) m, perdonavidas (es) m, matasiete (es) m
• Swedish: mobbare (sv) c

hired thug

• Bulgarian: главорез (bg) (glavorez) m
• Finnish: palkattu pahoinpitelijä (fi)

• Spanish: matón (es) m, sicario (es) m

pimp — see pimp

bully beef — see bully beef

Verb

bully (third-person singular simple present bullies, present participle bullying, simple past and past participle bullied)

1. (transitive) To intimidate (someone) as a bully.

   You shouldn't bully people for being gay.

2. (transitive) To act aggressively towards.
   • 2011 January 15, Sam Sheringham, “Chelsea 2 -03 Blackburn Rovers”, BBC:

     The Potters know their strengths and played to them perfectly here, out-muscling Bolton in midfield and bullying the visitors' back-line at every opportunity.

Synonyms

• (intimidate): browbeat, hector, intimidate, ride roughshod over
• (act aggressively toward): push around, ride roughshod over

Translations

to intimidate

• Bulgarian: заплашвам (bg) (zaplašvam)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 欺負 (cmn), 欺负 (cmn) (qīfu), 欺侮 (cmn) (qīwǔ), 侮慢 (cmn) (wǔmàn)

• Czech: šikanovat (cs)
• Danish: herse med (da), mobbe (da)
• Dutch: pesten (nl), treiteren (nl), jennen (nl)
• Esperanto: ĉikani (eo)
• Finnish: kiusata (fi)
• German: einschüchtern (de), schikanieren (de)
• Hungarian: megfélemlít (hu)

• Japanese: 苛める (ja) (いじめる, ijimeru)
• Macedonian: заплашува (mk) (zaplášuva), застрашува (mk) (zastrášuva)
• Portuguese: intimidar (pt), bulir (pt), oprimir (pt)
• Romanian: intimida (ro)
• Russian: запугивать (ru) (zapúgivat’) impf., запугать (ru) (zapugát’) pf., стращать (ru) (straščát’) impf., застращать (ru) (zastraščát’) pf.
• Scottish Gaelic: maoidh (gd)
• Spanish: intimidar (es), chulear (es), acosar (es)
• Swedish: mobba (sv)

act aggressively towards

• Bulgarian: тиранизирам (bg) (tiraniziram)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 欺負 (cmn), 欺负 (cmn) (qīfù)

• Danish: tyrannisere (da)
• Esperanto: ĉikani (eo)
• Estonian: terroriseerima (et), türanniseerima (et)
• Finnish: kiusata (fi)
• French: tourmenter (fr), terroriser (fr), maltraiter (fr)

• German: tyrannisieren (de), drangsalieren (de)
• Macedonian: тиранизира (mk) (tiranizíra)
• Portuguese: atormentar (pt), aterrorizar (pt), maltratar (pt), tiranizar (pt), oprimir (pt)
• Russian: тиранизировать (ru) (tiranizírovat’), задирать (ru) (zadirát’) impf., задрать (ru) (zadrát’) pf., терроризировать (ru) (terrorizírovat’)
• Scottish Gaelic: maoidh (gd)
• Spanish: tiranizar (es), acosar (es)

Adjective

bully (comparative bullier, superlative bulliest)

1. (US, slang) Very good; excellent.

   a bully horse

2. (slang) Jovial and blustering; dashing.
   • Shakespeare

     Bless thee, bully doctor.

Synonyms

• (excellent): excellent, marvellous/marvelous, splendid, super, superb, top-notch

Derived terms

• bully boy
• bully pulpit

Translations

very good; excellent

• Bulgarian: първокласен (bg) (pǎrvoklasen)
• Danish: fin (da), udmærket (da)

• Portuguese: valente (pt)

Interjection

bully

1. (often followed by for) Well done!

   She's finally leaving her abusive husband — bully for her!

Synonyms

• (Well done!): bravo, well done

Translations

well done!

• Danish: fint (da), udmærket (da)
• Esperanto: brave (eo)

• French: bravo (fr)
• Portuguese: bravo (pt)