bull
B1Neutral to Informal
Definition
Meaning
An adult male of certain large animals, especially cattle; a person who buys securities expecting prices to rise.
The uncastrated adult male of cattle, or other large animals like elephants or whales. Figuratively, a strong, aggressive, or stubborn person. In finance, an investor who expects prices to rise. As a verb, to push something forcefully or to engage in speculative buying.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The core sense relates to male animals, primarily bovine. The financial sense is a dead metaphor. The informal sense of 'nonsense' is a euphemistic abbreviation of 'bullshit'. The verb sense is less common.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both use all core meanings. 'To bull (through/into)' as a verb is slightly more common in US English. The idiom 'a bull in a china shop' is universal.
Connotations
Universally connotes strength, stubbornness, and brute force in the animal sense. The financial 'bull market' has positive connotations of growth.
Frequency
The animal sense is equally frequent. The financial sense is highly frequent in business contexts globally.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[bull + through + OBJECT/OBSTACLE] (verb)[bull + into + PLACE] (verb)[be + a + bull + in + a + china shop]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a bull in a china shop”
- “take the bull by the horns”
- “like a red rag to a bull”
- “shoot the bull (US)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to an optimistic investor or a rising market ('The bull market continues').
Academic
Used in biology/zoology for male specimens. In economics/finance for market theories.
Everyday
Refers to the animal, a stubborn person, or nonsense ('That's bull!').
Technical
In livestock breeding, a stud animal. In finance, a specific market position.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He just bulled his way through the crowd.
- Don't try to bull your way into the meeting.
American English
- He bulled the legislation through Congress.
- The fullback bulled into the end zone.
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form. 'Bullishly' is extremely rare and non-idiomatic.)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form. 'Bullishly' is extremely rare and non-idiomatic.)
adjective
British English
- He has a very bullish outlook on the economy.
- The report was criticised for its bullish assumptions.
American English
- The CEO's bullish comments drove the stock price up.
- We're feeling bullish about the quarter.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We saw a big bull on the farm.
- The bull is black and white.
- He was as strong as a bull.
- A bull market is good for investors.
- Don't be a bull in a china shop!
- The financier was famously bullish about emerging technologies.
- She decided to take the bull by the horns and confront the issue directly.
- The senator attempted to bull the controversial bill through the committee.
- His bullish demeanour belied a deep-seated insecurity about the project's viability.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BULL charging with its head down – it's FULL of force. BULL and FULL rhyme.
Conceptual Metaphor
STRENGTH/AGGRESSION IS A BULL ('bullish attitude', 'bull through a problem'). OPTIMISM/FINANCIAL GAIN IS A BULL ('bull market'). NONSENSE IS WORTHLESS ('bull').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'бык' (animal) for all contexts. The financial 'bull' is 'бык'. The informal 'bull' (nonsense) is 'чушь', 'ерунда'. 'Бык' is not used for 'nonsense'.
- The verb 'to bull' has no direct single-word equivalent; use phrases like 'грубо пробиваться'.
- 'Bully' ('задира') is a different, though related, word.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'bull' to refer to any cattle (use 'cow' or 'ox' specifically).
- Confusing 'bull' (finance) with 'bulk'.
- Misspelling as 'bul'.
Practice
Quiz
In financial contexts, what is the primary antonym of 'bull'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While its primary zoological reference is to cattle, it's also used for the male of other large animals like elephants, seals, and whales (e.g., 'bull elephant').
A 'bull' is the animal or an optimistic investor. A 'bull market' is the condition of rising prices that such investors anticipate.
Yes, though less common. It means to force one's way powerfully or stubbornly (e.g., 'He bulled through the paperwork').
It's a shortened, euphemistic form of 'bullshit'. Its origin is in early 20th-century American slang, implying something worthless or insincere.