🇮🇹Italian Source WordCode: IT

bullo

Pronunciation / Transliteration: ˈbul.lo

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Bully/ˈbʊl.i/
nounverbCEFR B1 (Intermediate)Top #4500 frequency
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🇮🇹 Example Sentence in Italian:

"Il bullo è stato sospeso per il suo comportamento aggressivo."

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A person who habitually uses strength or power to coerce, intimidate, or harm those who are weaker.

    "The school counselor intervened to stop the older boys from acting like bullies on the playground."
As verb
  1. 1

    To use superior strength or influence to intimidate someone, typically in order to force them to do something.

    "She refused to be bullied into signing the unfair contract."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the Middle Dutch word 'boel', meaning lover, brother, or good fellow, which originally had an affectionate connotation in the 16th century. Over time, the meaning shifted negatively through the senses of a protector of prostitutes, a ruffian, and finally to its modern definition of a tormentor of the weak.

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