bull
- 01 A2 Elementary
n.an adult male animal of the cow family, or other large animals like elephants and whales.
n.an adult male of various large mammals, most commonly bovine species, but also including elephants, whales, and seals.
Simple“The farmer warned us not to walk through the field with the bull.”
In context“The massive bull stood guard over the herd, its presence enough to deter any predators from approaching the calves.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.an investor who believes that stock market prices will go up.
n.an investor who expects prices to rise and, on this assumption, purchases securities or commodities for resale at a profit.
Simple“The bulls are happy today because the stock market reached a new high.”
In context“Market analysts remain bulls despite the recent volatility, citing strong consumer spending as a reason for continued growth.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.something that is not true or is complete nonsense.
n.a euphemistic clipping of 'bullshit', referring to false statements, nonsense, or deceptive talk.
Simple“Don't listen to him; everything he says is just a load of bull.”
In context“The politician's explanation was dismissed as pure bull by the investigative journalists who had seen the original documents.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
n.a formal public letter or order issued by the Pope.
n.a formal proclamation or edict issued by the Pope, named after the lead seal (bulla) traditionally appended to it.
Simple“The historian studied the papal bull issued in the fourteenth century.”
In context“The publication of the papal bull sparked significant debate across Europe regarding the limits of ecclesiastical authority.”
- 05 B1 Intermediate
n.the small circle in the middle of a target, especially in darts.
n.the small central circle of a target, particularly in archery or darts; a clipping of 'bullseye'.
Simple“He won the game by hitting the bull with his final throw.”
In context“The professional dart player consistently hit the bull, demonstrating remarkable precision under the pressure of the final round.”
- 06 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to move forward with a lot of force, often pushing others out of the way.
v.to move aggressively or forcefully in a particular direction, often by physical shoving or intimidation.
Simple“He tried to bull his way through the crowded station to catch the train.”
In context“The offensive line managed to bull their way through the defense, creating a gap for the runner to score.”
- 07 C1 Advanced
v.to polish shoes or boots until they are very shiny.
v.to polish footwear, especially military boots, to a mirror-like shine using a specific technique.
Simple“The soldiers spent hours bulling their boots before the parade.”
In context“The sergeant major inspected the recruits, ensuring every pair of boots had been bulled to a high standard of reflection.”
- 08 B1 Intermediate
adj.used to describe a male animal of a large species.
adj.denoting the adult male of various large mammals; used attributively.
Simple“We saw a massive bull elephant during our safari trip.”
In context“The researchers tracked a bull whale for three weeks to study its migratory patterns across the Atlantic.”