Bull

Pronunciation

• IPA: /bÊŠl/
• also US IPA: /blÌ©/
• Homophones: bowl
• Rhymes: -ÊŠl

From Middle English bul, bule, from Old English bula ("bull, steer"), from Proto-Germanic *bulô (), from Proto-Indo-European *bhl̥no (compare Old Irish ball ("limb"), Latin follis ("bellows, leather bag"), Thracian βόλινθος (bólinthos, "wild bull"), Albanian "buall" (bull) or related bolle ("testicles"), Ancient Greek φαλλός (phallós, "penis")), from Proto-Indo-European *bhel ("to blow"). More at blow.

Noun

1. An adult male of domesticated cattle or oxen.
1. Specifically, one that is uncastrated.
2. An adult male of certain large mammals, such as whales, elephants and seals.
3. A large, strong man.
4. (finance) An investor who buys (commodities or securities) in anticipation of a rise in prices.
5. (slang) A policeman.
6. (UK, historical, obsolete slang) A crown coin; its value, 5 shillings.
• 1859, J.C. Hotten, A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant, and Vulgar WordsHalf-a-crown is known as an alderman, half a bull, half a tusheroon, and a madza caroon; whilst a crown piece, or five shillings, may be called either a bull, or a caroon, or a cartwheel, or a coachwheel, or a thick-un, or a tusheroon.
7. (Philadelphia, slang) A man.

Synonyms

• (slang: male person) guy, dude, bro, cat
• (slang: policeman) cop, copper, pig (derogatory), rozzer (British). See also

Antonyms

• (finance: investor who buys in anticipation of a rise in prices) bear

Coordinate terms

• cow, ox, calf, steer

Full definition of bull

Adjective

1. Large and strong, like a bull.
2. Of large mammals, male.a bull elephant
3. (finance) Of a market in which prices are rising (compare bear)

Synonyms

• (large and strong) beefy, hunky, robust
• (male): male

Antonyms

• (large and strong): feeble, puny, weak
• (male): female
• (of a market): bear

Verb

1. (intransitive) To force oneself (in a particular direction).He bulled his way in.
2. (intransitive) To lie, to tell untruths.
3. (intransitive) To be in heat; to manifest sexual desire as cows do.
4. (UK, military) To polish boots to a high shine.
5. (finance, transitive) To endeavour to raise the market price of.to bull railroad bonds
6. (finance, transitive) To endeavour to raise prices in.to bull the market

Derived terms

From Middle English bulle, from Old French bulle, from Low Latin bulla

Noun

1. A papal bull, an official document or edict from the Pope.
2. A seal affixed to a document, especially a document from the Pope.

Verb

1. (dated, 17th century) to publish in a Papal bull

From Middle English bull ("falsehood"), of unknown origin. Possibly related to Old French boul, boule, fraud, deceit, trickery. Popularly associated with bullshit.

Noun

1. A lie.
2. (euphemistic, informal) Nonsense.

Synonyms

• (nonsense) See also

Verb

1. to mock, cheat

From Old French boule ("ball"), from Latin bulla ("round swelling"), from Proto-Indo-European *bhel ("to blow, to swell").

Noun

1. (16th century, obsolete) a bubble----