bully

bully
\ \ [16] Bullies have undergone a sad decline in status. In the 16th century the word meant ‘sweetheart’: ‘Though she be somewhat old, it is my own sweet bully’, John Bale, Three laws 1538. But gradually the rot set in, its meaning passing through ‘fine fellow’ to ‘blusterer’ to the present-day harasser of inferiors. In the 18th and 19th centuries it also meant ‘pimp’. It is probably a modification of Dutch boele ‘lover’ which, as a term of endearment, may have originated as baby-talk.
\ \ This bully has no connection with the bully of bully beef [18], which comes from French bouilli, the past participle of bouillir ‘boil’. The bully of bully off [19], a now discontinued way of starting play in hockey, appears to come from a term for ‘scrummage’ in Eton football, but whether that is related to the cruel bully is not clear.

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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Look at other dictionaries:

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  • Bully — may refer to: *Bullying * Bully (film), a 2001 Larry Clark film * Bully (video game), a video game by Rockstar Vancouver * The Bully ( SpongeBob SquarePants episode) *Bully les Mines, Pas de Calais, France *Bully pulpit, a term created by… …   Wikipedia

  • Bully — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Bully puede referirse a : Canis Canem Edit, videojuego. Bully, película. Bullying es un anglicismo utilizado para referirse al acoso escolar.  Francia Bully, población de Loira (Francia). Bully, población… …   Wikipedia Español

  • bully — bully1 [bool′ē] n. pl. bullies [orig., sweetheart < Du boel, lover, brother < MHG buole (Ger buhle), lover, prob. orig. dim. of bruder,BROTHER; later infl. by BULL1] 1. a person who hurts, frightens, or tyrannizes over those who are smaller …   English World dictionary

  • bully — (n.) 1530s, originally sweetheart, applied to either sex, from Du. boel lover, brother, probably dim. of M.H.G. buole brother, of uncertain origin (Cf. Ger. buhle lover ). Meaning deteriorated 17c. through fine fellow, blusterer, to harasser of… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Bully — Bul ly (b[.u]l l[y^]), a. 1. Jovial and blustering; dashing. [Slang] Bless thee, bully doctor. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Fine; excellent; as, a bully horse. [Slang, U.S.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Bully — Bul ly, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Bullied} (b[.u]l l[=e]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Bullying}.] To intimidate or badger with threats and by an overbearing, swaggering demeanor; to act the part of a bully[1] toward. [1913 Webster] For the last fortnight there …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Bully — Bul ly, v. i. To act as a bully[1]. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Bully — Bul ly (b[.u]l l[y^]), n., Bully beef Bul ly beef (b[.u]l l[y^] b[=e]f ). [F. bouilli boiled meat, fr. bouillir to boil. See {Boil}, v. The word bouilli was formerly commonly used on the labels of canned beef.] Pickled or canned beef. [Webster… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • bully — s.n. (Sport) Angajament (2). [pron. bá li. / < engl. bully]. Trimis de LauraGellner, 23.11.2004. Sursa: DN …   Dicționar Român

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