Johnny bull


[boo l] /bʊl/

noun
1.
John, .
/bʊl/
noun
1.
any male bovine animal, esp one that is sexually mature related adjective taurine
2.
the uncastrated adult male of any breed of domestic cattle
3.
the male of various other animals including the elephant and whale
4.
a very large, strong, or aggressive person
5.
(stock exchange)

6.
(mainly Brit) short for bull’s-eye (sense 1), bull’s-eye (sense 2)
7.
(slang) short for bullshit
8.
short for bulldog, bull terrier
9.
a bull in a china shop, a clumsy person
10.
(US & Canadian, slang) shoot the bull

11.
take the bull by the horns, to face and tackle a difficulty without shirking
adjective
12.
male; masculine: a bull elephant
13.
large; strong
verb
14.
(transitive) to raise or attempt to raise the price or prices of (a stock market or a security) by speculative buying
15.
(intransitive) (of a cow) to be on heat
16.
(intransitive) (US, slang) to talk lightly or foolishly
/bʊl/
noun
1.
a ludicrously self-contradictory or inconsistent statement Also called Irish bull
/bʊl/
noun
1.
a formal document issued by the pope, written in antiquated characters and often sealed with a leaden bulla
/bʊl/
noun
1.
the Bull, the constellation Taurus, the second sign of the zodiac
/bʊl/
noun
1.
John. 1563–1628, English composer and organist
2.
See John Bull
n.

“bovine male animal,” from Old English bula “a bull, a steer,” or Old Norse boli “bull,” both from Proto-Germanic *bullon- (cf. Middle Dutch bulle, Dutch bul, German Bulle), perhaps from a Germanic verbal stem meaning “to roar,” which survives in some German dialects and perhaps in the first element of boulder (q.v.). The other possibility [Watkins] is that the Germanic root is from PIE *bhln-, from root *bhel- (2) “to blow, inflate, swell” (see bole).

An uncastrated male, reared for breeding, as opposed to a bullock or steer. Extended after 1610s to males of other large animals (elephant, alligator, whale, etc.). Stock market sense is from 1714 (see bear (n.)). Meaning “policeman” attested by 1859. Figurative phrase to take the bull by the horns first recorded 1711. To be a bull in a china shop, figurative of careless and inappropriate use of force, attested from 1812 and was the title of a popular humorous song in 1820s England. Bull-baiting attested from 1570s.

“papal edict,” c.1300, from Medieval Latin bulla “sealed document” (source of Old French bulle, Italian bulla), originally the word for the seal itself, from Latin bulla “round swelling, knob,” said ultimately to be from Gaulish, from PIE *beu-, a root supposed to have formed words associated with swelling (cf. Lithuanian bule “buttocks,” Middle Dutch puyl “bag,” also possibly Latin bucca “cheek”).

“false talk, fraud,” Middle English, apparently from Old French bole “deception, trick, scheming, intrigue,” and perhaps connected to modern Icelandic bull “nonsense.”

Sais christ to ypocrites … yee ar … all ful with wickednes, tresun and bull. [“Cursor Mundi,” early 14c.]

There also was a verb bull meaning “to mock, cheat,” which dates from 1530s.

v.

“push through roughly,” 1884, from bull (n.1). Related: Bulled; bulling.

modifier

: abull market

noun

verb

: We were sitting around bulling/ He was bulling about his enormous talent

Related Terms

all that kind of crap, bull session, bullwork, cock-and-bull story, full of shit, shoot the bull, sling it, throw the bull

Read Also:

  • Johnnycake

    [jon-ee-keyk] /ˈdʒɒn iˌkeɪk/ noun, Northern U.S. 1. a cake or bread made of corn meal and water or milk, usually cooked on a griddle.

  • Johnny-cake

    [jon-ee-keyk] /ˈdʒɒn iˌkeɪk/ noun, Northern U.S. 1. a cake or bread made of corn meal and water or milk, usually cooked on a griddle. n. 1739, American English, of unknown origin, perhaps from Shawnee cake, from the Indian tribe. Folk etymology since 1775, however, connects it to journey cake.

  • Johnny canuck

    /ˈdʒɒnɪ kəˈnʌk/ noun (Canadian) 1. an informal name for a Canadian 2. a personification of Canada

  • Johnny-cash

    [kash] /kæʃ/ noun 1. John (“Johnny”) 1932–2003, U.S. country-and-western singer, musician, and composer. /kæʃ/ noun 1. banknotes and coins, esp in hand or readily available; money or ready money 2. immediate payment, in full or part, for goods or services (esp in the phrase cash down) 3. (modifier) of, for, or paid by cash: a […]

  • Johnny-collar

    noun, (often lowercase) 1. a small, pointed collar on a shirt, dress bodice, or the like, with close-fitting neckline.


Disclaimer: Johnny bull definition / meaning should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. All content on this website is for informational purposes only.