Bolsheviks
a member of the more radical majority of the Social Democratic Party, 1903–17, advocating immediate and forceful seizure of power by the proletariat.
(after 1918) a member of the Russian Communist Party.
(loosely) a member of any Communist party.
(often lowercase) Disparaging. a contemptuous term used to refer to an extreme radical or revolutionary.
Contemporary Examples
Michael Tomasky: The GOP Brings Politics to a Crisis Point Michael Tomasky December 22, 2012
Michael Tomasky: The GOP Brings Politics to a Crisis Point Michael Tomasky December 22, 2012
Three Questions for Ukraine Hawks Michael Tomasky March 18, 2014
Putin Vs. Obama—In Spandex: Wrestling’s New Cold War Tim Teeman May 13, 2014
Soviet Communism’s Collapse Left America’s Far Right Without a Real Foe Lee Siegel April 11, 2012
Historical Examples
Secret Societies And Subversive Movements Nesta H. Webster
The Russian Turmoil Anton Ivanovich Denikin
Dictatorship vs. Democracy Leon Trotsky
A Short History of the Great War A. F. Pollard
The World’s Great Men of Music Harriette Brower
noun (pl) -viks, -viki (-ˈviːkɪ)
(formerly) a Russian Communist Compare Menshevik
any Communist
(often not capital) (jocular, derogatory) any political radical, esp a revolutionary
n.
Bolsheviks [(bohl-shuh-viks, bol-shuh-viks)]
Note: Bolshevik has been used as a general term for a radical leftist or for a communist of the Soviet Union.
Read Also:
- Bolshevize
to bring under the influence or domination of Bolshevists; render Bolshevik or Bolshevistic. to become Bolshevik or Bolshevistic; act like a Bolshevik.
- Bolshevist
a follower or advocate of the doctrines or methods of the Bolsheviks. (sometimes lowercase) an ultraradical socialist; any political ultraradical. Bolshevistic. Historical Examples The Red Conspiracy Joseph J. Mereto The New World of Islam Lothrop Stoddard Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 158, June 16, 1920 Various The Vagrant Duke George Gibbs The Jew and […]
- Bolshevistic
of, relating to, or characteristic of Bolshevists or Bolshevism. Historical Examples Invention Bradley A. Fiske The Russian Turmoil Anton Ivanovich Denikin
- Bolshie
Bolshevik. Bolshevist. Historical Examples Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 159, November 10, 1920 Various To Kiel in the ‘Hercules’ Lewis R. Freeman Mystery at Geneva Rose Macaulay The Man in the Twilight Ridgwell Cullum adjective difficult to manage; rebellious politically radical or left-wing noun (pl) -shies (derogatory) any political radical
- Bolshoi-ballet
a ballet company founded in Moscow in 1776.