bully
Other forms: bullying; bullied; bullies; bullyingly
You might still have terrifying dreams about the bully who harassed you on the playground in second grade. A bully is someone who intimidates people, usually those who are weaker or smaller.
The classic example of a bully is a mean kid in a schoolyard who hassles or beats up younger students. While a child or a teenager can be a bully, so is anyone who uses power or strength to scare or harm other people. The word bully has gone through a mysterious evolution, from the 1530s when it meant "sweetheart," through the 17th century's meanings of "fine fellow," then "blusterer," and finally "harasser of the weak."
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discourage or frighten with threats or a domineering manner; intimidate
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be bossy towards“Her big brother always bullied her when she was young”
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synonyms:
ballyrag, boss around, browbeat, bullyrag, hector, push around, strong-arm
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types:
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domineer, tyrannise, tyrannize
rule or exercise power over (somebody) in a cruel and autocratic manner
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type of:
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intimidate
make timid or fearful
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domineer, tyrannise, tyrannize
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a cruel and brutal fellow
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types:
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bullyboy
a swaggering tough; usually one acting as an agent of a political faction
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muscle, muscleman
a bully employed as a thug or bodyguard
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skinhead
a young person who belongs to a British or American group that shave their heads and gather at rock concerts or engage in white supremacist demonstrations
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plug-ugly, tough guy
someone who bullies weaker people
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Ted, Teddy boy
a tough youth of 1950's and 1960's wearing Edwardian style clothes
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a hired thug
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very good
/ˈbʊli/
/ˈbʊli/
Vocabulary lists containing bully
Win more Wordle games by mastering these common five-letter words.
Mistreated by her father and husband, Celie finds strength and empowerment through the women in her life.
This list focuses on the progressive era (Unit 3, Chapter 9). Here are links to all the chapters in Unit 3, Modern America Emerges: Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11 Here are links to all the units of the California edition of the textbook published by McDougal Littell: Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6, Unit 7
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