bully1

[boo l-ee] /ˈbʊl i/
noun, plural bullies.
1.
a blustering, quarrelsome, overbearing person who habitually badgers and intimidates smaller or weaker people.
2.
Archaic. a man hired to do violence.
3.
Obsolete. a pimp; procurer.
4.
Obsolete. good friend; good fellow.
5.
Obsolete. sweetheart; darling.
verb (used with object), bullied, bullying.
6.
to act the bully toward; intimidate; domineer.
verb (used without object), bullied, bullying.
7.
to be loudly arrogant and overbearing.
adjective
8.
Informal. fine; excellent; very good.
9.
dashing; jovial; high-spirited.
interjection
10.
Informal. good! well done!
Origin
1530-40; < Middle Dutch boele lover
Related forms
bullyable, adjective
unbullied, adjective
unbullying, adjective
Synonyms
6. cow, browbeat, coerce; terrorize, tyrannize.
Examples from the web for bullied
  • College faculty members who are bullied or abused by coworkers often feel they must either suffer through it or quit.
  • Don't be fooled or bullied into taking a side until do the research for yourself and can make an informed decision.
  • Today's consumer isn't going to be bullied by corporations telling them where to watch something and how to watch something.
  • His aides bullied physicians to accept unheated concentrates.
  • It is easily bullied into acquiescing in the designs of a presidential propaganda machine determined to dominate the news.
  • Newspapers often bullied their way to centrality in a community.
  • The movie follows five families over the course of a school year and peeks into the lives of bullied children.
  • She says he was bullied, buried people he loved and faced his own mortality.
  • Lithuanians are incensed and feel bullied by their bigger neighbour.
  • Two-fifths had been bullied at school, about double the rate of their non-disabled peers.
British Dictionary definitions for bullied

bully1

/ˈbʊlɪ/
noun (pl) -lies
1.
a person who hurts, persecutes, or intimidates weaker people
2.
(archaic) a hired ruffian
3.
(obsolete) a procurer; pimp
4.
(obsolete) a fine fellow or friend
5.
(obsolete) a sweetheart; darling
verb -lies, -lying, -lied
6.
when tr, often foll by into. to hurt, intimidate, or persecute (a weaker or smaller person), esp to make him do something
adjective
7.
dashing; jolly: my bully boy
8.
(informal) very good; fine
interjection
9.
(informal) Also bully for you. well done! bravo!
Word Origin
C16 (in the sense: sweetheart, hence fine fellow, hence swaggering coward): probably from Middle Dutch boele lover, from Middle High German buole, perhaps childish variant of bruoderbrother

bully2

/ˈbʊlɪ/
noun (pl) -lies
1.
any of various small freshwater fishes of the genera Gobiomorphus and Philynodon of New Zealand Also called (NZ) pakoko, titarakura, toitoi
Word Origin
C20: short for cockabully
Word Origin and History for bullied
adj.

1851, past participle adjective from bully (v.).

bully

n.

1530s, originally "sweetheart," applied to either sex, from Dutch boel "lover; brother," probably a diminutive of Middle Dutch broeder "brother" (cf. Middle High German buole "brother," source of German Buhle "lover;" see brother (n.)).

Meaning deteriorated 17c. through "fine fellow" and "blusterer" to "harasser of the weak" (1680s, from bully-ruffian, 1650s). Perhaps this was by influence of bull (n.1), but a connecting sense between "lover" and "ruffian" may be in "protector of a prostitute," which was one sense of bully (though not specifically attested until 1706). The expression meaning "worthy, jolly, admirable" (especially in 1864 U.S. slang bully for you!) is first attested 1680s, and preserves an earlier, positive sense of the word.

v.

1710, from bully (n.). Related: Bullied; bullying.

Slang definitions & phrases for bullied

bully

adjective

Excellent; good (1840s+)

interjection

: Bully for you! (1780s+)

noun

A track worker; gandy dancer (1900+ Railroad)

[first two senses fr bully, ''a beloved person, darling,'' of obscure origin, attested fr 1538. Bully, ''worthy, admirable,'' used of persons, is attested in 1681]