bull

bull¹

—bull-like, adj.

/bool/, n.

1. the male of a bovine animal, esp. of the genus Bos, with sexual organs intact and capable of reproduction.

2. the male of certain other animals, as the elephant and moose.

3. a large, solidly built person.

4. a person who believes that market prices, esp. of stocks, will increase (opposed to bear).

5. (cap.) Astron., Astrol. the constellation or sign of Taurus.

6. a bulldog.

7. Slang. a police officer.

8. bull in a china shop,

a. an awkward or clumsy person.

b. an inconsiderate or tactless person.

c. a troublemaker; dangerous person.

9. take the bull by the horns, to attack a difficult or risky problem fearlessly.

adj.

10. male.

11. of, pertaining to, or resembling a bull, as in strength.

12. having to do with or marked by a continuous trend of rising prices, as of stocks: a bull market.

v.t.

13. Stock Exchange. to attempt to raise the price of.

14. to speculate in, in expectation of a rise in price.

15. to force; shove: to bull one's way through a crowd.

16. Naut. to ram (a buoy).

[1150-1200; ME bule, OE bula; akin to ON boli; see BULLOCK]

bull²

/bool/, n.

1. a bulla or seal.

2. Rom. Cath. Ch. a formal papal document having a bulla attached.

[1250-1300; ME bulle < AF < ML bulla seal, sealed document; see BULLA]

bull³

/bool/, n. Slang.

1. exaggerations; lies; nonsense.

2. shoot the bull, to talk aimlessly: We just sat around shooting the bull.

[1620-30; < ML bulla play, game, jest, perh. special use of L bulla bubble; now generally taken as a euphemistic shortening of BULLSHIT]

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(as used in expressions)

bull market

Bull Moose Party

Bull Run Battles of

bull terrier

Bull John

Bull Ole Bornemann

bull roarer

Golden Bull of 1356

Bull Halsey

pit bull terrier

Sitting Bull

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      in animal husbandry, the mature, uncastrated male of domesticated cattle. See also bull cult and bullfighting.

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