bully
B1Mainstream, formal and informal; specific sports use is technical.
Definition
Meaning
A person who habitually seeks to harm, intimidate, or coerce someone perceived as vulnerable.
As a verb: to act as a bully toward; to use strength or influence to intimidate. As an adjective (dated, chiefly North American): very good; excellent. As a noun (field hockey, rugby): a move or play intended to restart play (e.g., bully-off).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The noun form almost universally carries a negative moral judgment. The positive adjective use ('That's bully!') is now archaic and primarily historical. The sports sense is a distinct, neutral term.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The positive adjective sense is associated with early 20th-century American usage (e.g., 'bully for you!'). The verb 'to bully off' for starting play in field hockey or schoolboy rugby is chiefly British.
Connotations
Identically negative for the core meaning. The exclamation 'Bully!' is understood historically but not used in modern UK English.
Frequency
Comparatively frequent in both varieties for the core meaning. Discussions of 'bullying' in schools/workplaces are equally common.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[noun] bully [object pronoun][verb] bully someone into doing something[verb] bully someone out of somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Bully for you! (ironic/sarcastic)”
- “Bully pulpit (a public office used to promote one's views)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to workplace harassment or aggressive, dominating behaviour from a manager or colleague.
Academic
Studied in psychology, sociology, and education regarding peer victimisation, power dynamics, and cyberbullying.
Everyday
Commonly used regarding schoolchildren, but also applicable to any social context where power is abused (sports teams, online).
Technical
In field hockey/rugby: a method of restarting play where two opponents tap sticks or the ground three times before competing for the ball.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He was bullied terribly during his first year at boarding school.
- Don't let them bully you into signing the contract.
American English
- She felt bullied by her supervisor's constant criticism.
- They tried to bully him out of running for student council.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial form.
American English
- No standard adverbial form.
adjective
British English
- (Archaic, rarely used) He declared the plan a bully idea.
American English
- (Historical) Theodore Roosevelt popularised the phrase 'bully pulpit'.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The big boy is a bully. He takes the little boys' sweets.
- Stop bullying your sister!
- Many schools have strict policies to prevent bullying.
- He used to be a bully, but he's much kinder now.
- The journalist used her column as a bully pulpit to advocate for reform.
- The manager was accused of bullying staff into working unpaid overtime.
- The committee's report detailed a culture of systemic bullying and intimidation within the organisation.
- Cyberbullying legislation continues to evolve to address anonymous online harassment.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BULL pushing around a smaller animal - a BULLY uses their size/strength to intimidate.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL INTERACTION IS PHYSICAL DOMINANCE / VERBAL AGGRESSION IS PHYSICAL VIOLENCE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- False friend: 'булли' does not mean 'bully'. The closest common translation is 'задира' or 'хулиган' (though 'хулиган' is broader).
- The verb 'to bully' requires a phrase like 'запугивать', 'травмировать' (in psychological context), or 'задирать'.
- The adjective meaning 'excellent' is a historical trap from early 20th-century literature.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'bully' as a positive adjective in modern contexts. *'We had a bully time at the park.' (Incorrect).
- Confusing 'bully' with 'bull' (the animal).
- Misspelling as 'buly' or 'booly'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context might the word 'bully' have a positive or neutral connotation?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In modern English, the core meaning is overwhelmingly negative. The positive adjective sense ('excellent') is archaic and rarely used outside historical references or the fixed phrase 'bully pulpit'.
Bullying implies a repeated pattern of behaviour with an intent to harm and an imbalance of power. Teasing can be occasional, mutual, and not necessarily malicious, though it can cross into bullying.
It is commonly written as one word (cyberbully) when used as a noun or verb, though 'cyber bully' is also seen. 'Cyberbullying' as the gerund/activity is standard.
Coined by US President Theodore Roosevelt, it refers to a position of authority or public visibility that provides an opportunity to speak out and be listened to, in order to promote one's ideas or agenda.