bully

Someone who deliberately hurts, frightens, or treats other people badly, especially people who cannot easily defend themselves.

• That boy is a bully.
• The teacher stopped the bullies from hurting him.
• She stood up to the office bully.

Similar words: tormentor

Common phrases: a school bully, a playground bully, a workplace bully

Someone paid to frighten or attack other people.

• He hired a bully to threaten us.
• Two bullies guarded the landlord’s door.
• The merchant paid a bully to collect his debts.

Similar words: thug, enforcer

Common phrases: a hired bully, employ a bully

Beef preserved with salt and usually sold in a tin.

• They ate bully beef with bread.
• The soldiers carried tins of bully.
• There was only bully beef left for supper.

Similar words: corned beef

Common phrases: bully beef, tinned bully

To deliberately hurt or frighten someone, especially someone weaker than you.

• Do not bully your little brother.
• The older children bullied her at school.
• He refused to be bullied into silence.

How to use it: bully someone into doing something (They bullied him into giving them his money.)

Similar words: intimidate, harass

Common phrases: bully someone, bully someone into something

Very good or excellent.

• That is a bully idea!
• We had a bully time at the fair.
• He thought it was a bully little boat.

Similar words: excellent, splendid

Opposites: terrible

Common phrases: a bully idea, a bully time, a bully fellow

Used to praise someone, or to pretend to praise something you do not find impressive.

• You won? Bully for you!
• Bully! We have finished the job at last.
• So you bought a bigger car. Bully for you.

Similar words: bravo, well done

Common phrases: bully for you, bully for him