bully
/ˈbʊli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbʊli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbu̇-lē ˈbə-/ (ame, mw) · /ˈbʊl.i/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbʊl.i/ (ame, ipa)
bully — noun
1. a person who repeatedly uses fear, insults, or violence to control someone weake
a person who repeatedly uses fear, insults, or violence to control someone weaker.
On the bus, a bully kept taking Yusuf's lunch money.
bully + repeated harmful action
After two weeks, the bully started hiding Theo's gym shoes.
Teachers moved the bully away from the younger children at lunch.
In the team chat, one bully kept mocking Ravi's accent.
The class bully locked Mei in a cupboard before art.
用法筆記
Often used for someone who has more size, age, status, or group support than the other person. Distinguish from verb sense 1 PUSH AROUND, which names the action rather than the person.
常見錯誤
2. a strong dog from a short-nosed group that includes breeds such as bulldogs and
a strong dog from a short-nosed group that includes breeds such as bulldogs and pit bulls.
After the park walk, their bully slept in the crate.
breed noun: a bully
At the dog show, two bullies waited quietly in the ring.
plural breed use: bullies
The vet said this bully needed shorter runs in hot weather.
A blue bully pulled hard until Hana taught it to walk calmly.
- bully breed
broader group label for related dogs
- American bully
one specific breed within this group
用法筆記
Common in breed names and discussions of bully breeds. It names a type of dog, not a dog's personality.
3. in hockey, a restart where the referee lets the ball or puck fall between two op
in hockey, a restart where the referee lets the ball or puck fall between two opponents.
The captain won the bully and passed left at once.
win the bully
After the foul, play restarted with a bully near midfield.
restart with a bully
Both players bent low as the referee prepared the bully.
Seconds after the opening bully, Noa scored from the left circle.
用法筆記
Specialist hockey vocabulary. In ordinary English, people are far more likely to meet the noun sense 1 or the verb sense 1.
bully — verb
1. to scare, insult, or hurt someone again and again in order to control them or ma
to scare, insult, or hurt someone again and again in order to control them or make them obey.
Older boys bullied Kofi for wearing his brother's old shoes.
bully + someone + for + -ing
No manager should bully staff into staying after midnight.
bully + someone + into + -ing
At camp, Zara was bullied until she hid in the washroom.
The website owner bullied critics with threats from fake accounts.
Don't bully your sister just because she is smaller.
- intimidate
focuses on making someone afraid, not always through repeated abuse
- harass
stresses repeated troubling behavior
- coerce
more formal and focuses on forcing an action
- browbeat
especially about aggressive verbal pressure
文法句型
bully + someone
bully + someone + into + -ing
be bullied
用法筆記
Object is usually a person or group with less power. Common patterns include bully someone into doing something and be bullied by classmates, co-workers, or relatives.
常見錯誤
bully — adjective
1. used in older informal English to mean very good or pleasing.
used in older informal English to mean very good or pleasing.
'A bully idea,' Aunt Rosa said beside the garden gate.
old-fashioned adjective before noun
In the old comic, the hero shouts, 'Bully news, captain!'
older exclamation use
Grandpa slapped the table and cried, 'Bully supper, Mrs. Green!'
In a 1912 review, the critic called it a bully show.
文法句型
bully + noun
a bully + noun
用法筆記
Mostly found in older dialogue, comics, or books rather than present-day everyday speech. Distinguish from adjective sense 2 THREATENING, which describes an aggressive manner.
常見錯誤
2. showing the rough, threatening manner of a person who pushes weaker people aroun
showing the rough, threatening manner of a person who pushes weaker people around.
The guard's bully voice made the children step back.
bully + noun for manner
Dimitri let out a bully laugh and blocked the doorway.
A bully grin crossed Omar's face when the smaller boy stepped back.
The landlord's note used bully language to frighten the old tenant.
- threatening
general modern word for causing fear
- aggressive
broader and common in modern English
- domineering
stresses controlling behavior toward others
文法句型
bully + noun
用法筆記
Mostly appears before nouns such as voice, grin, or language, especially in literary description. Distinguish from noun sense 1 MEAN PERSON, which names the person rather than their style.