Chapter 206

Bulkiness <Xpage=190>

Bulk"i*ness (?) , n. Greatness in bulk; size.

Bulky <Xpage=190>

Bulk"y (?) , a. Of great bulk or dimensions; of great size; large; thick; massive; as, bulky volumes .

A bulky digest of the revenue laws. Hawthorne.

Bull <Xpage=190>

Bull (?) , n. [OE. bule , bul , bole ; akin to D. bul , G. bulle , Icel. boli , Lith. bullus , Lett. bollis , Russ. vol' ; prob. fr. the root of AS. bellan , E. bellow .] 1. (Zo\'94l.) The male of any species of cattle ( Bovid\'91 ); hence, the male of any large quadruped, as the elephant; also, the male of the whale.

&hand; The wild bull of the Old Testament is thought to be the oryx, a large species of antelope.

2. One who, or that which, resembles a bull in character or action.

Ps. xxii. 12.

3. (Astron.) (a) Taurus, the second of the twelve signs of the zodiac. (b) A constellation of the zodiac between Aries and Gemini. It contains the Pleiades.

At last from Aries rolls the bounteous sun, And the bright Bull receives him. Thomson.

4. (Stock Exchange) One who operates in expectation of a rise in the price of stocks, or in order to effect such a rise. See 4th Bear , n. , 5.

Bull baiting , the practice of baiting bulls, or rendering them furious, as by setting dogs to attack them. -- John Bull , a humorous name for the English, collectively; also, an Englishman. "Good-looking young John Bull ." W. D.Howells . -- To take the bull by the horns , to grapple with a difficulty instead of avoiding it.

Bull <Xpage=190>

Bull , a. Of or pertaining to a bull; resembling a bull; male; large; fierce.

Bull bat (Zo\'94l.) , the night hawk; -- so called from the loud noise it makes while feeding on the wing, in the evening. -- Bull calf . (a) A stupid fellow. -- Bull mackerel (Zo\'94l.) , the chub mackerel. -- Bull pump (Mining) , a direct single-acting pumping engine, in which the steam cylinder is placed above the pump. -- Bull snake (Zo\'94l.) , the pine snake of the United States. -- Bull stag , a castrated bull. See Stag . -- Bull wheel , a wheel, or drum, on which a rope is wound for lifting heavy articles, as logs, the tools in well boring, etc.

Bull <Xpage=190>

Bull , v. i. To be in heat; to manifest sexual desire as cows do. [Colloq.]

Bull <Xpage=190>

Bull , v. t. (Stock Exchange) To endeavor to raise the market price of; as, to bull railroad bonds; to bull stocks; to bull Lake Shore ; to endeavor to raise prices in; as, to bull the market . See 1st Bull , n. , 4.

Bull <Xpage=190>

Bull , n. [OE. bulle , fr. L. bulla bubble, stud, knob, LL., a seal or stamp: cf. F. bulle . Cf. Bull a writing, Bowl a ball, Boil , v. i. ] 1. A seal. See Bulla .

2. A letter, edict, or respect, of the pope, written in Gothic characters on rough parchment, sealed with a bulla, and dated "a die Incarnationis," i. e. , "from the day of the Incarnation." See Apostolical brief , under Brief .

A fresh bull of Leo's had declared how inflexible the court of Rome was in the point of abuses. Atterbury.

3. A grotesque blunder in language; an apparent congruity, but real incongruity, of ideas, contained in a form of expression; so called, perhaps, from the apparent incongruity between the dictatorial nature of the pope's bulls and his professions of humility.

And whereas the papist boasts himself to be a Roman Catholic, it is a mere contradiction, one of the pope's bulls , as if he should say universal particular; a Catholic schimatic. Milton.

The Golden Bull , an edict or imperial constitution made by the emperor Charles IV. (1356), containing what became the fundamental law of the German empire; -- so called from its golden seal.

Syn. -- See Blunder .

Bulla <Xpage=190>

Bul"la (?) , n. ; pl. Bull\'91 (<?/) . [L. bulla bubble. See Bull an edict.] 1. (Med.) A bleb; a vesicle, or an elevation of the cuticle, containing a transparent watery fluid.

2. (Anat.) The ovoid prominence below the opening of the ear in the skulls of many animals; as, the tympanic or auditory bulla .

3. A leaden seal for a document; esp. the round leaden seal attached to the papal bulls, which has on one side a representation of St. Peter and St. Paul, and on the other the name of the pope who uses it.

4. (Zo\'94l.) A genus of marine shells. See Bubble shell .

Bullace <Xpage=190>

Bul"lace (?) , n. [OE. bolas , bolace , OF. beloce ; of Celtic origin; cf. Arm. bolos , polos , Gael. bulaistear .] (Bot.) (a) A small European plum ( Prunus communis , var. insitita ). See Plum . (b) The bully tree.

Bullantic <Xpage=190>

Bul*lan"tic (?) , a. [See Bull an edict.] Pertaining to, or used in, papal bulls.

Fry.

Bullantic letters , Gothic letters used in papal bulls.

Bullary <Xpage=190>

Bul"la*ry (?) , n. [LL. bullarium : cf. F. bullairie . See Bull an edict.] A collection of papal bulls.

Bullary <Xpage=190>

Bul"la*ry , n. ; pl. Bullaries (#) . [Cf. Boilary .] A place for boiling or preparating salt; a boilery.

Crabb.

And certain salt fats or bullaries . Bills in Chancery.

Bullate <Xpage=190>

Bul"late (?) , a. [L. bullatus , fr. bulla bubble.] (Biol.) Appearing as if blistered; inflated; puckered.

Bullate leaf (Bot.) , a leaf, the membranous part of which rises between the veins puckered elevations convex on one side and concave on the other.

Bullbeggar <Xpage=190>

Bull"beg`gar (?) , n. Something used or suggested to produce terror, as in children or persons of weak mind; a bugbear.

And being an ill-looked fellow, he has a pension from the church wardens for being bullbeggar to all the forward children in the parish. Mountfort (1691).

Bull brier <Xpage=190>

Bull" bri`er (?) . (Bot.) A species of Smilax ( S. Pseudo-China ) growing from New Jersey to the Gulf of Mexico, which has very large tuberous and farinaceous rootstocks, formerly used by the Indians for a sort of bread, and by the negroes as an ingredient in making beer; -- called also bamboo brier and China brier .

Bullcomber <Xpage=190>

Bull"comb*er (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A scaraboid beetle; esp. the Typh\'91us vulgaris of Europe.

Bulldog <Xpage=190>

Bull"dog` (?) , n. 1. (Zo\'94l.) A variety of dog, of remarkable ferocity, courage, and tenacity of grip; -- so named, probably, from being formerly employed in baiting bulls.

2. (Metal.) A refractory material used as a furnace lining, obtained by calcining the cinder or slag from the puddling furnace of a rolling mill.

Bulldog <Xpage=190>

Bull"dog` , a. Characteristic of, or like, a bulldog; stubborn; as, bulldog courage; bulldog tenacity.

Bulldog bat (zo'94l.) , a bat of the genus Nyctinomus ; -- so called from the shape of its face.

Bulldoze <Xpage=190>

Bull"doze` (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bulldozed (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Bulldozing .] To intimidate; to restrain or coerce by intimidation or violence; -- used originally of the intimidation of negro voters, in Louisiana. [Slang, U.S.]

Bulldozer <Xpage=190>

Bull"do`zer (?) , n. One who bulldozes. [Slang]

Bulled <Xpage=190>

Bulled (?) , a. [Cf. Boln .] Swollen. [Obs.]

Bullen-bullen <Xpage=190>

Bul"len-bul"len (?) , n. [Native Australian name, from its cry.] (Zo\'94l.) The lyre bird.

Bullen-nail <Xpage=190>

Bul"len-nail` (?) , n. [ Bull large, having a large head + nail .] A nail with a round head and short shank, tinned and lacquered.

Bullet <Xpage=190>

Bul"let (?) , n. [F. boulet , dim. of boule ball. See Bull an edict, and cf. Boulet .] 1. A small ball.

2. A missile, usually of lead, and round or elongated in form, to be discharged from a rifle, musket, pistol, or other small firearm.

3. A cannon ball. [Obs.]

A ship before Greenwich . . . shot off her ordnance, one piece being charged with a bullet of stone. Stow.

4. The fetlock of a horse. [See Illust . under Horse .]

Bullet-proof <Xpage=190>

Bul"let-proof` (?) , a. Capable of resisting the force of a bullet.

Bullet tree . See Bully tree . -- Bullet wood , the wood of the bullet tree.

Bulletin <Xpage=190>

Bul"le*tin (?) , n. [F. bulletin , fr. It. bullettino , dim. of bulletta , dim. of bulla , bolla , an edict of the pope, from L. bulla bubble. See Bull an edict.] 1. A brief statement of facts respecting some passing event, as military operations or the health of some distinguished personage, issued by authority for the information of the public.

2. Any public notice or announcement, especially of news recently received.

3. A periodical publication, especially one containing the proceeding of a society.

Bulletin board , a board on which announcements are put, particularly at newsrooms, newspaper offices, etc.

Bullfaced <Xpage=190>

Bull"faced` (?) , a. Having a large face.

Bullfeast <Xpage=190>

Bull"feast` (?) , n. See Bullfight . [Obs.]

Bullfight, Bullfighting <Xpage=190>

Bull"fight` (?) , Bull"fight`ing , n. A barbarous sport, of great antiquity, in which men torment, and fight with, a bull or bulls in an arena, for public amusement, -- still popular in Spain. -- Bull"fight`er (<?/) , n.

Bullfinch <Xpage=190>

Bull"finch` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A bird of the genus Pyrrhula and other related genera, especially the P. vulgaris or rubicilla , a bird of Europe allied to the grosbeak, having the breast, cheeks, and neck, red.

&hand; As a cage bird it is highly valued for its remarkable power of learning to whistle correctly various musical airs.

Crimson-fronted bullfinch . (Zo\'94l.) See Burion . -- Pine bullfinch , the pine finch.

Bullfist, Bullfice <Xpage=190>

Bull"fist (?) , Bull"fice (?) , n. [Cf. G. bofist , AS. wulfes fist puffball, E. fizz , foist .] (Bot.) A kind of fungus. See Puffball .

Bull fly or Bullfly <Xpage=190>

Bull" fly` or Bull"fly` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) Any large fly troublesome to cattle, as the gadflies and breeze flies.

Bullfrog <Xpage=190>

Bull"frog` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A very large species of frog ( Rana Catesbiana ), found in North America; -- so named from its loud bellowing in spring.

Bullhead <Xpage=190>

Bull"head` (?) , n. 1. (Zo\'94l.) (a) A fresh-water fish of many species, of the genus Uranidea , esp. U. gobio of Europe, and U. Richardsoni of the United States; -- called also miller's thumb . (b) In America, several species of Amiurus ; -- called also catfish , horned pout , and bullpout . (c) A marine fish of the genus Cottus ; the sculpin.

2. (Zo\'94l.) (a) The black-bellied plover ( Squatarola helvetica ); -- called also beetlehead . (b) The golden plover.

3. A stupid fellow; a lubber. [Colloq.]

Jonson.

4. (Zo\'94l.) A small black water insect.

E. Phillips.

Bullhead whiting (Zo\'94l.) , the kingfish of Florida ( Menticirrus alburnus ).

<page="191"> Page 191

Bullheaded <Xpage=191>

Bull"head`ed (?) , a. Having a head like that of a bull. Fig.: Headstrong; obstinate; dogged.

Bullion <Xpage=191>

Bul"lion (?) , n. [Cf. OE. bullyon a hook used for fastening the dress, a button, stud, an embossed ornament of various kinds, e . g ., on the cover of a book, on bridles or poitrels, for purses, for breeches and doublets, LL. bullio the swelling of boiling water, a mass of gold or silver, fr. L. bulla boss, stud, bubble (see Bull an edict), or perh. corrupted fr. <?/. billon base coin, LL. billio bullion. Cf. Billon , Billet a stick.] 1. Uncoined gold or silver in the mass.

&hand; Properly, the precious metals are called bullion , when smelted and not perfectly refined, or when refined, but in bars, ingots or in any form uncoined, as in plate. The word is often often used to denote gold and silver, both coined and uncoined, when reckoned by weight and in mass, including especially foreign, or uncurrent, coin.

2. Base or uncurrent coin. [Obs.]

And those which eld's strict doom did disallow, And damm for bullion , go for current now. Sylvester.

3. Showy metallic ornament, as of gold, silver, or copper, on bridles, saddles, etc. [Obs.]

The clasps and bullions were worth a thousand pound. Skelton.

4. Heavy twisted fringe, made of fine gold or silver wire and used for epaulets; also, any heavy twisted fringe whose cords are prominent.

Bullionist <Xpage=191>

Bul"lion*ist , n. An advocate for a metallic currency, or a paper currency always convertible into gold.

Bullirag <Xpage=191>

Bul"li*rag (?) , v. t. [Cf. bully , n. & v., and rag to scold, rail. Cf. Ballarag .] To intimidate by bullying; to rally contemptuously; to badger. [Low]

Bullish <Xpage=191>

Bull"ish (?) , a. Partaking of the nature of a bull, or a blunder.

Let me inform you, a toothless satire is as improper as a toothed sleek stone, and as bullish . Milton.

Bullist <Xpage=191>

Bull"ist , n. [F. bulliste . See Bull an edict.] A writer or drawer up of papal bulls. [R.]

Harmar.

Bullition <Xpage=191>

Bul*li"tion (?) , n. [L. bullire , bullitum , to boil. See Boil , v. i. ] The action of boiling; boiling. [Obs.] See Ebullition .

Bacon.

Bull-necked <Xpage=191>

Bull"-necked` (?) , a. Having a short and thick neck like that of a bull.

Sir W. Scott.

Bullock <Xpage=191>

Bul"lock (?) , n. [AS. bulluc a young bull. See Bull .] 1. A young bull, or any male of the ox kind.

Take thy father's young bullock , even the second bullock of seven years old. Judges vi. 25.

2. An ox, steer, or stag.

Bullock <Xpage=191>

Bul"lock , v. t. To bully. [Obs.]

She shan't think to bullock and domineer over me. Foote.

Bullock's-eye <Xpage=191>

Bul"lock's-eye` (?) , n. See Bull's-eye , 3.

Bullon <Xpage=191>

Bul"lon (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A West Indian fish ( Scarus Croicensis ).

Bullpout <Xpage=191>

Bull"pout` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) See Bullhead , 1 (b) .

Bull's-eye <Xpage=191>

Bull's"-eye` (?) , n. 1. (Naut.) A small circular or oval wooden block without sheaves, having a groove around it and a hole through it, used for connecting rigging.

2. A small round cloud, with a ruddy center, supposed by sailors to portend a storm.

3. A small thick disk of glass inserted in a deck, roof, floor, ship's side, etc., to let in light.

4. A circular or oval opening for air or light.

5. A lantern, with a thick glass lens on one side for concentrating the light on any object; also, the lens itself.

Dickens.

6. (Astron.) Aldebaran, a bright star in the eye of Taurus or the Bull.

7. (Archery & Gun.) The center of a target.

8. A thick knob or protuberance left on glass by the end of the pipe through which it was blown.

9. A small and thick old-fashioned watch. [Colloq.]

Bull's-nose <Xpage=191>

Bull's"-nose` (?) , n. (Arch.) An external angle when obtuse or rounded.

Bull terrier <Xpage=191>

Bull" ter"ri*er (?) . (Zo\'94l.) A breed of dogs obtained by crossing the bulldog and the terrier.

Bull trout <Xpage=191>

Bull" trout` (?) . (Zo\'94l.) (a) In England, a large salmon trout of several species, as Salmo trutta and S. Cambricus , which ascend rivers; -- called also sea trout . (b) Salvelinus malma of California and Oregon; -- called also Dolly Varden trout and red-spotted trout . (c) The huso or salmon of the Danube.

Bullweed <Xpage=191>

Bull"weed` (?) , n. [ Bole a stem + weed .] (Bot.) Knapweed.

Prior.

Bullwort <Xpage=191>

Bull"wort` (?) , n. (Bot.) See Bishop's-weed .

Bully <Xpage=191>

Bul"ly (?) , n. ; pl. Bullies (<?/) . [Cf. LG. bullerjaan , bullerb\'84k , bullerbrook , a blusterer, D. bulderaar a bluster, bulderen to bluster; prob. of imitative origin; or cf. MHG. buole lover, G. buhle .] 1. A noisy, blustering fellow, more insolent than courageous; one who is threatening and quarrelsome; an insolent, tyrannical fellow.

Bullies seldom execute the threats they deal in. Palmerston.

2. A brisk, dashing fellow. [Slang Obs.]

Shak.

Bully <Xpage=191>

Bul"ly (?) , a. 1. Jovial and blustering; dashing. [Slang] "Bless thee, bully doctor."

Shak.

2. Fine; excellent; as, a bully horse . [Slang, U.S.]

Bully <Xpage=191>

Bul"ly , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bullied (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Bullying .] To intimidate with threats and by an overbearing, swaggering demeanor; to act the part of a bully toward.

For the last fortnight there have been prodigious shoals of volunteers gone over to bully the French, upon hearing the peace was just signing. Tatler.

Syn. -- To bluster; swagger; hector; domineer.

Bully <Xpage=191>

Bul"ly , v. i. To act as a bully.

Bullyrag <Xpage=191>

Bul"ly*rag (?) , v. t. Same as Bullirag .

Bullyrock <Xpage=191>

Bul"ly*rock` (?) , n. A bully. [Slang Obs.]

Shak.

Bully tree <Xpage=191>