Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense bullies, present participle bullying, past tense, past participle bullied
1. countable noun
A bully is someone who often hurts or frightens other people.
I fell victim to the office bully.
He's a coward and a bully who confuses physical strength with manhood.
Synonyms: persecutor, tough, oppressor, tormentor More Synonyms of bully
2. verb
If someone bullies you, they often do or say things to hurt or frighten you.
I wasn't going to let him bully me. [VERB noun]
I asked her if she was bullied by the other children. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: persecute, intimidate, torment, hound More Synonyms of bully
bullyinguncountable noun
...schoolchildren who were victims of bullying.
3. verb
If someone bullies you into something, they make you do it by using force or threats.
We think an attempt to bully them into submission would be counterproductive. [VERB noun + into]
She used to bully me into doing my schoolwork. [VERB noun + into]
The government says it will not be bullied by the press. [beVERB-ed]
[Also VERB noun]
Synonyms: force, coerce, railroad [informal], bulldoze [informal] More Synonyms of bully
More Synonyms of bully
bully in British English1
(ˈbʊlɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-lies
1.
a person who uses threats or violence in an attempt to harm or intimidate others, often repeatedly
2.
a person who ruthlessly exploits a physical or technical advantage
3. archaic
a hired ruffian
4. obsolete
a procurer; pimp
5. obsolete
a fine fellow or friend
6. obsolete
a sweetheart; darling
verbWord forms: -lies, -lying or -lied
7.
to use threats or violence, often repeatedly, in an attempt to harm or intimidate(other people)
8. (transitive; foll byinto)
to make someone do something by using force or repeated questioning
he bullied her into accepting his invitation to the party
9. (transitive)
to exploit a physical or technical advantage
the minister was regularly bullied in debate by the opposition
adjective
10. archaic
dashing; jolly
11. informal
very good; fine
exclamation
12. Also: bully for you informal
well done! bravo!
Word origin
C16 (in the sense: sweetheart, hence fine fellow, hence swaggering coward): probablyfrom Middle Dutch boele lover, from Middle High German buole, perhaps childish variant of bruoderbrother
bully in British English2
(ˈbʊlɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-lies
any of various small freshwater fishes of the genera Gobiomorphus and Philypnodon of New Zealand
Also called (NZ): pakoko, titarakura, toitoi
Word origin
C20: short for cockabully
bully in American English1
(ˈbʊli)
nounWord forms: pluralˈbullies
1.
a person who hurts, frightens, or tyrannizes over others
2. British, Dialectal
a companion or comrade
3. Archaic
a pimp
4. Archaic
a hired cutthroat or thug
5. Archaic
a fine fellow
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈbullied or ˈbullying
6.
to hurt, frighten, or tyrannize over, as a bully does; browbeat
verb intransitive
7.
to behave like a bully
adjective
8.
dashing, hearty, or jolly
my bully lad
9. US, Informal
fine; very good
interjection US
10. Informal
good; well done
Word origin
orig., sweetheart < Du boel, lover, brother < MHG buole (Ger buhle), lover, prob. orig. dim. of bruder, brother; later infl. by bull1
bully in American English2
(ˈbʊli)
noun
canned or corned beef
: also bully beef
Word origin
Fr bouilli, boiled beef < pp. of bouillir, boil1
Examples of 'bully' in a sentence
bully
Your behaviour bullied and your victims could not fight back.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
His confidence and selfesteem had been eroded over a long period of time by the bullying behaviour he experienced in secondary education.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They're just charlatans trying to bully people.
The Sun (2017)
Your mum shouldn't let your dad bully her either.
The Sun (2016)
I also think the threat of deselection is being used to bully people.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
MORE than half of youngsters picked on over mental health problems say their pals are the ones who bully them.
The Sun (2016)
A review into claims of a culture of bullying was launched, with findings due soon.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The report added:'There were many examples given to the researchers of bullying and discriminatory behaviour towards staff and students.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Charities are already in the dock over the bullying tactics some deploy to raise funds.
The Sun (2016)
What we need is freedom from both bullying companies and bullying governments.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
You are a coward and a bully.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They are young people accustomed to bullying from superiors.
Max Hastings Nemesis: The Battle for Japan, 194445 (2007)
This is cyber bullying and we will not put up with it.
The Sun (2010)
They managed to stop older mice which were bullying younger ones by changing their brain chemicals.
The Sun (2016)
This petty and sometimes bullying behaviour cut across all crowds.
The Sun (2012)
They are also frequently the victims of a culture that encourages bullying.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
You should not let her bully you into doing what she wants.
The Sun (2016)
Websites that allow users to post anonymously offer bullies a new playground.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Some personnel have experienced physical bullying and have been involved in or witnessed this behaviour.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
When did good old-fashioned office politics become bullying?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
We don't like all these bullying tactics.
The Sun (2010)
In other languages
bully
British English: bully /ˈbʊlɪ/ NOUN
A bully is someone who uses their strength or power to hurt or frighten other people.
I fell victim to the office bully.
American English: bully
Arabic: بَلْطَجِي
Brazilian Portuguese: rufião
Chinese: 欺凌弱小者
Croatian: nasilnik
Czech: surovec
Danish: bølle
Dutch: bullebak
European Spanish: matón
Finnish: kiusaaja
French: brute
German: Tyrann
Greek: νταής
Italian: bullo
Japanese: 弱い者いじめをする者
Korean: 불량배
Norwegian: bølle
Polish: łobuz
European Portuguese: rufia
Romanian: bătăuș
Russian: задира
Latin American Spanish: matón
Swedish: översittare
Thai: อันธพาล
Turkish: zorba
Ukrainian: хуліган
Vietnamese: kẻ hay bắt nạt
British English: bully /ˈbʊlɪ/ VERB
If someone bullies you, they use their strength or power to hurt or frighten you.
I wasn't going to let him bully me.
American English: bully
Arabic: يُخَوِّفُ
Brazilian Portuguese: maltratar
Chinese: 欺侮
Croatian: zastrašivati
Czech: šikanovat
Danish: tyrannisere
Dutch: pesten
European Spanish: acosar
Finnish: kiusata
French: tyranniser
German: schikanieren
Greek: τρομοκρατώ
Italian: intimidire
Japanese: いじめる
Korean: 약자를 괴롭히다
Norwegian: trakassere
Polish: znęcać się
European Portuguese: atormentar
Romanian: a brutaliza
Russian: запугивать
Latin American Spanish: acosar
Swedish: mobba
Thai: กดขี่รังแก
Turkish: zorbalık etmek
Ukrainian: чіплятися
Vietnamese: bắt nạt
All related terms of 'bully'
bully-boy
If you describe a man as a bully-boy , you disapprove of him because he is rough and aggressive .
bully-off
a method by which a game is restarted after a stoppage . Two opposing players stand with the ball between them and alternately strike their sticks together and against the ground three times before trying to hit the ball
bully beef
tinned corned beef
bully tree
any of several tropical American trees of the sapodilla family that yield balata
bully pulpit
a position of power and influence used to aggressively promote one's own cause
bully for you
well done! bravo !
flat-track bully
a sportsperson who dominates inferior opposition , but who cannot beat top-level opponents
Chinese translation of 'bully'
bully
(ˈbulɪ)
n(c)
恃强(強)凌(淩)弱者 (shìqiáng língruò zhě) (个(個), gè)
vt
欺侮 (qīwǔ)
to bully sb into (doing) sth胁(脅)迫某人(做)某事 (xiépò mǒurén (zuò) mǒushì)
(noun)
Definition
a person who hurts, persecutes, or intimidates weaker people
I fell victim to the office bully.
Synonyms
persecutor
tough
Three burly toughs elbowed their way to the front.
oppressor
The rebels called upon the people to rise up against their oppressors.
tormentor
bully boy
browbeater
coercer
ruffian
gangs of ruffians who lurk about
intimidator
1 (verb)
Definition
to hurt, intimidate, or persecute (a weaker or smaller person)
I wasn't going to let him bully me.
Synonyms
persecute
They have been persecuted for their beliefs.
intimidate
Attempts to intimidate people into voting for them failed.
torment
My older brother used to torment me by singing it to me.
hound
hounded by the press
oppress
predatory lenders who oppress the poor
pick on
victimize
People victimize others in order to exert power and maintain control.
terrorize
He was fired for terrorizing his colleagues.
push around (slang)
ill-treat
The rescued hostages said they had not been ill-treated.
ride roughshod over
maltreat
He was not maltreated during his detention.
tyrannize
a formidable boss who tyrannized the workforce
overbear
2 (verb)
She used to bully me into doing my schoolwork.
Synonyms
force
They forced him to work round-the-clock.
coerce
He argued that the government had coerced him into resigning.
railroad (informal)
bulldoze (informal)
My business partner tried to bulldoze into leaving the company.
dragoon
He had been dragooned into the excursion.
pressurize
He thought she was trying to pressurize him into agreeing.
browbeat
attempts to deceive, con, or browbeat the voters
cow
They were not cowed by physical intimidation.
hector
I suppose you'll hector me until I phone him.
press-gang
domineer
bullyrag
(exclamation)
Bully for him!
Synonyms
well done
good
great
capital
grand
bravo
Additional synonyms
in the sense of browbeat
Definition
to frighten (someone) with threats
attempts to deceive, con, or browbeat the voters
Synonyms
bully,
threaten,
cow,
intimidate,
badger,
oppress,
hector,
coerce,
bulldoze (informal),
overawe,
dragoon,
ride roughshod over,
tyrannize,
overbear,
domineer
in the sense of bulldoze
Definition
to coerce (someone) into doing something by intimidation
My business partner tried to bulldoze into leaving the company.
Synonyms
force,
bully,
intimidate,
railroad (informal),
cow,
hector,
coerce,
dragoon,
browbeat,
put the screws on
in the sense of coerce
Definition
to compel or force
He argued that the government had coerced him into resigning.