Search results for 'bull':

bull¹ noun 1 the uncastrated male of animals in the cattle family. 2 the male of the elephant, whale and some other large animals. 3 (a or the Bull) astron, astrol Taurus. 4 stock exchange someone who buys shares hoping to sell them at a higher price at a later date. Compare bear² noun 4, lame duck 4. 5 colloq a bull's-eye (sense 1). 6 (especially a bull of a man) a well-built, powerful or aggressive man. adj 1 male • a bull walrus. 2 stock exchange said of a market: favourable to the bulls (sense 4); rising. 3 massive; coarse; strong. take the bull by the horns to deal boldly and positively with a challenge or difficulty.
ETYMOLOGY: 13c.

bull² noun 1 slang nonsense; meaningless, pretentious talk. 2 an illogical nonsensical statement, eg 'If you don't receive this card, you must write and tell me'. 3 tedious and sometimes unnecessary routine tasks.
ETYMOLOGY: 17c in sense 2, originally 'a ludicrous joke'.

bull³ noun an official letter or written instruction from the Pope, with the papal seal attached.
ETYMOLOGY: 14c; 13c meaning only the seal itself: from Latin bulla a lead seal.