bull

¹

[bool]

noun

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

2. the male of certain other mammals, as elephants and moose.

3. a large, solidly built person.

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

5. Astronomy, Astrology.,  Bull, the constellation or sign of Taurus.

6. a bulldog.

7. Slang.,  a police officer.

adjective

1. male.

2. of, relating to, or resembling a bull, as in strength.

3. having to do with or marked by a continuous trend of rising prices, as of stocks.

   a bull market.

verb (used with object)

1. Stock Exchange.,  to attempt to raise the price of.

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

3. to force; shove.

   to bull one's way through a crowd.

4. Nautical.,  to ram (a buoy).

bull

²

[bool]

noun

Slang.

1. exaggeration, lies, or nonsense.

bull

³

[bool]

noun

1. a bulla or seal.

2. Roman Catholic Church.,  a formal papal document having a bulla attached.

Bull

⁴

[bool]

noun

1. Ole (Bornemann) 1810–80, Norwegian violinist and composer.

bull.

⁵

abbreviation

1. bulletin.

bull

¹

/ bʊl /

noun

1. any male bovine animal, esp one that is sexually mature

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

   1. a speculator who buys in anticipation of rising prices in order to make a profit on resale

   2. ( as modifier ) Compare bear 1

      a bull market

6. short for bull's-eye bull's-eye

7. slang,  short for bullshit

8. short for bulldog bull terrier

9. a clumsy person

10. slang

    1. to pass time talking lightly

    2. to boast or exaggerate

11. to face and tackle a difficulty without shirking

adjective

1. male; masculine

   a bull elephant

2. large; strong

verb

1. (tr) to raise or attempt to raise the price or prices of (a stock market or a security) by speculative buying

2. (intr) (of a cow) to be on heat

3. slang,  (intr) to talk lightly or foolishly

Bull

²

/ bʊl /

noun

1. John . 1563–1628, English composer and organist

2. See John Bull

Bull

³

/ bʊl /

noun

1. the constellation Taurus, the second sign of the zodiac

bull

⁴

/ bʊl /

noun

1. Also called: Irish bull. a ludicrously self-contradictory or inconsistent statement

bull

⁵

/ bʊl /

noun

1. a formal document issued by the pope, written in antiquated characters and often sealed with a leaden bulla

Other Word Forms

• bull-like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bull¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English bule, Old English bula; akin to Old Norse boli; Greek phallós “penis,” from a root meaning “to swell”; bullock

Origin of bull²

First recorded in 1620–30; from Medieval Latin bulla “play, game, jest,” perhaps special use of Latin bulla “bubble”; now generally taken as a euphemistic shortening of bullshit

Origin of bull³

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English bull(e) “a (lead) seal affixed to a papal edict, papal edict; official sealed document,” from Medieval Latin bulla “seal, sealed document,” from Latin ; bulla

Word History and Origins

Origin of bull¹

Old English bula , from Old Norse boli ; related to Middle Low German bulle , Middle Dutch bolle

Origin of bull²

C17: of uncertain origin

Origin of bull³

C13: from Medieval Latin bulla seal attached to a bull, from Latin: round object

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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

2. bull in a china shop,

   1. an awkward or clumsy person.

   2. an inconsiderate or tactless person.

   3. a troublemaker; dangerous person.

3. shoot / throw the bull, to talk aimlessly.

   We just sat around shooting the bull.

More idioms and phrases containing bull

• cock and bull story
• hit the bull's-eye
• shoot the breeze (bull)
• take the bull by the horns

Example Sentences

So yeah, we were both happy about it, and it’s good to see two industry people in whatever “supposed rivalry” who genuinely like each other without that other bull—.

From Los Angeles Times

“Just shut up. Stop peddling bulls**t,” she wrote.

From Salon

A small circus had been erected and a bull ring constructed of wooden posts and leaves.

From Los Angeles Times

In a pair of since-deleted posts to Instagram and X, the “Bad at Love” singer defended her feature film debut, saying it was “greater than the 24hr gossip tabloid denim bulls**t.”

From Salon

Her son was also the bull of the herd.

From Los Angeles Times