# bully

/ˈbʊɫi/ (US) · /bˈʊli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bully
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a cruel person

noun · CEFR B1

someone who is repeatedly mean or cruel to people who are weaker or more vulnerable.

For teachers: a person who habitually seeks to harm or intimidate those they perceive as vulnerable.

- The school has a strict policy to protect students from any bully in the playground.
- The office bully relied on subtle psychological manipulation rather than physical threats to maintain a sense of control over his subordinates.

### 2. to intimidate

verb · CEFR B1

to frighten or hurt someone who is smaller or weaker than you.

For teachers: to use superior strength or influence to intimidate someone, typically to force them to do something.

- Don't let the older kids bully you into giving them your lunch money.
- The larger corporation attempted to bully the small startup into a lopsided merger by threatening a series of expensive lawsuits.

### 3. excellent

adjective · CEFR C2 · American English · Slang · Archaic

an old-fashioned way to say something is very good or excellent.

For teachers: an archaic or dated slang term signifying excellence or high quality.

- That is a bully idea for a picnic.
- The president remarked that it was a bully day for a parade, using the popular slang of the late nineteenth century.

Teaching tip: This sense is mostly found in historical literature or films set in the 1800s; modern speakers do not use it in daily life.

### 5. canned beef

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

a type of salted, canned beef.

For teachers: a shortened form of 'bully beef', referring to tinned corned beef.

- The soldiers were tired of eating nothing but bully and hard biscuits.
- During the period of post-war rationing, many families relied on tins of bully to provide protein for their evening meals.

### 6. hockey restart

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a way to start or restart a game of field hockey.

For teachers: a method of starting or restarting play in field hockey where two players tap sticks three times before hitting the ball.

- The referee called for a bully after the ball was accidentally trapped under a player's foot.
- The match resumed with a bully on the twenty-five-yard line after a simultaneous foul by both midfielders.

## Examples

- The school has a strict policy against any bully.
- The office bully often made fun of the new interns during lunch breaks to make himself feel more powerful.
- Psychologists suggest that a bully often acts out of their own deep-seated insecurities, projecting their frustrations onto others to gain a temporary sense of control.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.