%bull%

n. [ OE. bule, bul, bole; akin to D. bul, G. bulle, Icel. boli, Lith. bullus, Lett. bollis, Russ. vol'; prob. fr. the root of AS. bellan, E. bellow. ] 1. (Zool.) The male of any species of cattle (Bovidæ); hence, the male of any large quadruped, as the elephant; also, the male of the whale. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The wild bull of the Old Testament is thought to be the oryx, a large species of antelope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who, or that which, resembles a bull in character or action. Ps. xxii. 12. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Astron.) (a) Taurus, the second of the twelve signs of the zodiac. (b) A constellation of the zodiac between Aries and Gemini. It contains the Pleiades. [ 1913 Webster ]

At last from Aries rolls the bounteous sun,
And the bright Bull receives him. Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Stock Exchange) One who operates in expectation of a rise in the price of stocks, or in order to effect such a rise. See 4th Bear, n., 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. a ludicrously false statement; nonsense. Also used as an expletive. [ vulgar ]
Syn. -- bullshit, Irish bull, horseshit, shit, crap, crapola, bunk, bunkum, buncombe, guff, nonsense, rot, tommyrot, balderdash, hogwash, dogshit. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

Bull baiting, the practice of baiting bulls, or rendering them furious, as by setting dogs to attack them. --
John Bull, a humorous name for the English, collectively; also, an Englishman. “Good-looking young John Bull.” W. D.Howells. --
To take the bull by the horns, to grapple with a difficulty instead of avoiding it. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to a bull; resembling a bull; male; large; fierce. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bull bat (Zool.), the night hawk; -- so called from the loud noise it makes while feeding on the wing, in the evening. --
Bull calf. (a) A stupid fellow. --
Bull mackerel (Zool.), the chub mackerel. --
Bull pump (Mining), a direct single-acting pumping engine, in which the steam cylinder is placed above the pump. --
Bull snake (Zool.), the pine snake of the United States. --
Bull stag, a castrated bull. See Stag. --
Bull wheel, a wheel, or drum, on which a rope is wound for lifting heavy articles, as logs, the tools in well boring, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. (Stock Exchange) To endeavor to raise the market price of; as, to bull railroad bonds; to bull stocks; to bull Lake Shore; to endeavor to raise prices in; as, to bull the market. See 1st Bull, n., 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. bulle, fr. L. bulla bubble, stud, knob, LL., a seal or stamp: cf. F. bulle. Cf. Bull a writing, Bowl a ball, Boil, v. i. ] 1. A seal. See Bulla. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A letter, edict, or respect, of the pope, written in Gothic characters on rough parchment, sealed with a bulla, and dated “a die Incarnationis, ” i. e., “from the day of the Incarnation.” See Apostolical brief, under Brief. [ 1913 Webster ]

A fresh bull of Leo's had declared how inflexible the court of Rome was in the point of abuses. Atterbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A grotesque blunder in language; an apparent congruity, but real incongruity, of ideas, contained in a form of expression; so called, perhaps, from the apparent incongruity between the dictatorial nature of the pope's bulls and his professions of humility. [ 1913 Webster ]

And whereas the papist boasts himself to be a Roman Catholic, it is a mere contradiction, one of the pope's bulls, as if he should say universal particular; a Catholic schimatic. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Golden Bull, an edict or imperial constitution made by the emperor Charles IV. (1356), containing what became the fundamental law of the German empire; -- so called from its golden seal. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- See Blunder. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Bullæ [ L. bulla bubble. See Bull an edict. ] 1. (Med.) A bleb; a vesicle, or an elevation of the cuticle, containing a transparent watery fluid. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Anat.) The ovoid prominence below the opening of the ear in the skulls of many animals; as, the tympanic or auditory bulla. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A leaden seal for a document; esp. the round leaden seal attached to the papal bulls, which has on one side a representation of St. Peter and St. Paul, and on the other the name of the pope who uses it. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Zool.) A genus of marine shells. See Bubble shell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. bolas, bolace, OF. beloce; of Celtic origin; cf. Arm. bolos, polos, Gael. bulaistear. ] (Bot.) (a) A small European plum (Prunus communis, var. insitita). See Plum. (b) The bully tree. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Bull an edict. ] Pertaining to, or used in, papal bulls. Fry. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bullantic letters, Gothic letters used in papal bulls. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. bullarium: cf. F. bullairie. See Bull an edict. ] A collection of papal bulls. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Bullaries [ Cf. Boilary. ] A place for boiling or preparing salt; a boilery. Crabb. [ 1913 Webster ]

And certain salt fats or bullaries. Bills in Chancery. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. bullatus, fr. bulla bubble. ] (Biol.) Appearing as if blistered; inflated; puckered. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bullate leaf (Bot.), a leaf, the membranous part of which rises between the veins puckered elevations convex on one side and concave on the other. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Something used or suggested to produce terror, as in children or persons of weak mind; a bugbear. [ 1913 Webster ]

And being an ill-looked fellow, he has a pension from the church wardens for being bullbeggar to all the forward children in the parish. Mountfort (1691). [ 1913 Webster ]

(Bot.) A species of Smilax (Smilax Pseudo-China) growing from New Jersey to the Gulf of Mexico, which has very large tuberous and farinaceous rootstocks, formerly used by the Indians for a sort of bread, and by the negroes as an ingredient in making beer; -- called also bamboo brier and China brier. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A scaraboid beetle; esp. the Typhæus vulgaris of Europe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Zool.) A variety of dog, of remarkable ferocity, courage, and tenacity of grip; -- so named, probably, from being formerly employed in baiting bulls. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Metal.) A refractory material used as a furnace lining, obtained by calcining the cinder or slag from the puddling furnace of a rolling mill. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Characteristic of, or like, a bulldog; stubborn; as, bulldog courage; bulldog tenacity. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bulldog bat (Zo'94l.), a bat of the genus Nyctinomus; -- so called from the shape of its face. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bulldozed p. pr. & vb. n. Bulldozing. ] To intimidate; to restrain or coerce by intimidation or violence; -- used originally of the intimidation of negro voters, in Louisiana. [ Slang, U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who bulldozes. [ Slang ] [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. Boln. ] Swollen. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Native Australian name, from its cry. ] (Zool.) The lyre bird. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Bull large, having a large head + nail. ] A nail with a round head and short shank, tinned and lacquered. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. boulet, dim. of boule ball. See Bull an edict, and cf. Boulet. ] 1. A small ball. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A missile, usually of lead, and round or elongated in form, to be discharged from a rifle, musket, pistol, or other small firearm. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A cannon ball. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A ship before Greenwich . . . shot off her ordnance, one piece being charged with a bullet of stone. Stow. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The fetlock of a horse. [ See Illust. under Horse. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Bullet tree. See Bully tree. --
Bullet wood, the wood of the bullet tree. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a head shaped like a bullet. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ F. bulletin, fr. It. bullettino, dim. of bulletta, dim. of bulla, bolla, an edict of the pope, from L. bulla bubble. See Bull an edict. ] 1. A brief statement of facts respecting some passing event, as military operations or the health of some distinguished personage, issued by authority for the information of the public. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any public notice or announcement, especially of news recently received. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A periodical publication, especially one containing the proceeding of a society. [ 1913 Webster ]

bulletin board, a board on which announcements are put, particularly at newsrooms, newspaper offices, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Capable of resisting the force of a bullet; resistant to penetration by a bullet; armored; as, a bulletproof vest; a bulletproof window. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

2. designed so as to be resistant to abuse or misuse and incapable of malfunction under normal use; as, a bulletproof computer program. [ PJC ]

3. so well thought out as to be resistant to criticism or certain to succeed; as, a bulletproof plan. [ PJC ]

a. Having a large face. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Bullfight. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ Cf. G. bofist, AS. wulfes fist puffball, E. fizz, foist. ] (Bot.) A kind of fungus. See Puffball. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ }, n. a sport of great antiquity, in which men torment, and fight with, a bull or bulls in an arena, for public amusement, -- still popular in Spain, Portugal and Latin American. In the Spanish version a matador kills the bull with a sword after the bull has been weakened by wounds from small barbed rods, and after he has displayed courage and artistic skill in causing the bull to charge many times while he stands still or nearly still. In some versions the bull is not killed. Occasionally the matador is wounded or killed by the bull. -- Bull"fight`er n.
Syn. -- corrida. [1913 Webster +PJC]

n. the activity at a bullfight. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Zool.) A bird of the genus Pyrrhula and other related genera, especially the Pyrrhula vulgaris or Pyrrhula rubicilla, a bird of Europe allied to the grosbeak, having the breast, cheeks, and neck, red. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ As a cage bird it is highly valued for its remarkable power of learning to whistle correctly various musical airs. [ 1913 Webster ]

Crimson-fronted bullfinch. (Zool.) See Burion. --
Pine bullfinch, the pine finch. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ or } n. (Zool.) Any large fly troublesome to cattle, as the gadflies and breeze flies. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A very large species of frog (Rana Catesbiana), found in North America; -- so named from its loud bellowing in spring. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Zool.) (a) A fresh-water fish of many species, of the genus Uranidea, esp. Uranidea gobio of Europe, and Uranidea Richardsoni of the United States; -- called also miller's thumb. (b) In America, several species of Amiurus; -- called also catfish, horned pout, and bullpout. (c) A marine fish of the genus Cottus; the sculpin. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) (a) The black-bellied plover (Squatarola helvetica); -- called also beetlehead. (b) The golden plover. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A stupid fellow; a lubber. [ Colloq. ] Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Zool.) A small black water insect. E. Phillips. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bullhead whiting (Zool.), the kingfish of Florida (Menticirrus alburnus). [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a head like that of a bull. Fig.: Headstrong; obstinate; dogged. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. resolute adherence to one's own ideas or desires.
Syn. -- stubbornness, obstinacy, obstinance, pigheadedness, self-will. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a portable loudspeaker with built-in microphone and amplifier.
Syn. -- loud-hailer. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. frightened into submission or compliance.
Syn. -- browbeaten, cowed, hangdog, intimidated. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. OE. bullyon a hook used for fastening the dress, a button, stud, an embossed ornament of various kinds, e. g., on the cover of a book, on bridles or poitrels, for purses, for breeches and doublets, LL. bullio the swelling of boiling water, a mass of gold or silver, fr. L. bulla boss, stud, bubble (see Bull an edict), or perh. corrupted fr. F. billon base coin, LL. billio bullion. Cf. Billon, Billet a stick. ] 1. Uncoined gold or silver in the mass. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Properly, the precious metals are called bullion, when smelted and not perfectly refined, or when refined, but in bars, ingots or in any form uncoined, as in plate. The word is often often used to denote gold and silver, both coined and uncoined, when reckoned by weight and in mass, including especially foreign, or uncurrent, coin. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Base or uncurrent coin. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

And those which eld's strict doom did disallow,
And damm for bullion, go for current now. Sylvester. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Showy metallic ornament, as of gold, silver, or copper, on bridles, saddles, etc. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The clasps and bullions were worth a thousand pound. Skelton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Heavy twisted fringe, made of fine gold or silver wire and used for epaulets; also, any heavy twisted fringe whose cords are prominent. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An advocate for a metallic currency, or a paper currency always convertible into gold. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Cf. bully, n. & v., and rag to scold, rail. Cf. Ballarag. ] To intimidate by bullying; to rally contemptuously; to badger. [ Low ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Partaking of the nature of a bull, or a blunder. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let me inform you, a toothless satire is as improper as a toothed sleek stone, and as bullish. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. bulliste. See Bull an edict. ] A writer or drawer up of papal bulls. [ R. ] Harmar. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. bullire, bullitum, to boil. See Boil, v. i. ] The action of boiling; boiling. [ Obs. ] See Ebullition. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (U. S. Politics) (a) A follower of Theodore Roosevelt in the presidential campaign of 1912; -- a sense said to have originated from a remark made by Roosevelt on a certain occasion that he felt “like a bull moose.” [ Cant ] (b) The figure of a bull moose used as the party symbol of the Progressive party in the presidential campaign of 1912. -- Bull Mooser. [ Cant ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Having a short, thick and muscular neck like that of a bull. Sir W. Scott. [ Narrower terms: mesomorphic ] [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. To bully. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

She shan't think to bullock and domineer over me. Foote. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. bulluc a young bull. See Bull. ] 1. A young bull, or any male of the ox kind. [ 1913 Webster ]

Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old. Judges vi. 25. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An ox, steer, or stag. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Bull's-eye, 3. [ 1913 Webster ]