bull1

[boo l] /bʊl/
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 animals, as the elephant and moose.
3.
a large, solidly built person.
4.
a person who believes that market prices, especially of stocks, will increase (opposed to bear).
5.
(initial capital letter) Astronomy, Astrology. the constellation or sign of Taurus.
6.
a bulldog.
7.
Slang. a police officer.
adjective
8.
male.
9.
of, pertaining to, or resembling a bull, as in strength.
10.
having to do with or marked by a continuous trend of rising prices, as of stocks:
a bull market.
verb (used with object)
11.
Stock Exchange. to attempt to raise the price of.
12.
to speculate in, in expectation of a rise in price.
13.
to force; shove:
to bull one's way through a crowd.
14.
Nautical. to ram (a buoy).
Idioms
15.
bull in a china shop,
  1. an awkward or clumsy person.
  2. an inconsiderate or tactless person.
  3. a troublemaker; dangerous person.
16.
take the bull by the horns, to attack a difficult or risky problem fearlessly.
Origin
1150-1200; Middle English bule, Old English bula; akin to Old Norse boli; see bullock
Related forms
bull-like, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for take the bull by the horns

bull1

/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)
  1. a speculator who buys in anticipation of rising prices in order to make a profit on resale
  2. (as modifier): a bull market Compare bear1 (sense 5)
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
  1. to pass time talking lightly
  2. to boast or exaggerate
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
Word Origin
Old English bula, from Old Norse boli; related to Middle Low German bulle, Middle Dutch bolle

bull2

/bʊl/
noun
1.
a ludicrously self-contradictory or inconsistent statement Also called Irish bull
Word Origin
C17: of uncertain origin

bull3

/bʊl/
noun
1.
a formal document issued by the pope, written in antiquated characters and often sealed with a leaden bulla
Word Origin
C13: from Medieval Latin bulla seal attached to a bull, from Latin: round object

Bull1

/bʊl/
noun
1.
the Bull, the constellation Taurus, the second sign of the zodiac

Bull2

/bʊl/
noun
1.
John. 1563–1628, English composer and organist
2.
See John Bull
Word Origin and History for take the bull by the horns

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.

take the bull by the horns in Culture

take the bull by the horns definition


Take the initiative in confronting a difficult position: “You'll never decide what you want in life by just thinking about it; you must take the bull by the horns and try out a few possibilities.”

Slang definitions & phrases for take the bull by the horns

bull

modifier

: abull market

noun
  1. A peace officer of any kind, esp a uniformed police officer •London police constables were called bull-dogs by 1710 (1850s+)
  2. An elephant, of either sex (1920s+ Circus)
  3. An ace • Short for bullet (1940s+ Poker)
  4. Bull Durham2 ,a very popular brand of tobacco for rolling cigarettes (1930s+)
  5. A locomotive (1880s+ Railroad)
  6. The chief; head man; boss, bull of the woods (1940s+ Loggers & cowboys)
  7. A dealer who favors higher prices and quicker selling (1700s+ Stock market)
  8. bullshit (1900+)
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


Idioms and Phrases with take the bull by the horns

take the bull by the horns

Confront a problem head-on, as in We'll have to take the bull by the horns and tackle the Medicare question. This term most likely alludes to grasping a safely tethered bull, not one the matador is fighting in the ring. [ c. 1800 ]

bull

also see: