John Bull

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

John′ Bull′, 

1. England;
   the English people.
2. the typical Englishman.
• named after John Bull, chief character in Arbuthnot's allegory The History of John Bull (1712) 1705–15
John′ Bull′ish. 
John′ Bull′ishness. 
John′ Bull′ism. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

John Bull noun

1. a personification of England or the English people
2. a typical Englishman

Etymology: 18th Century: name of a character intended to be representative of the English nation in The History of John Bull (1712) by John Arbuthnot

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

bull¹ /bʊl/   n. [countable]

1. Mammals the male of the cow family:
   The bull charged the matador in the arena.
2. Mammals the male of certain other animals, as the elephant:
   the bull elephants.
3. a person who believes that stock prices will increase:
   The bulls went on a spree today, and the stock market soared.
   Compare bear.

adj. [before a noun]

4. Business marked by rising prices, esp. of stocks:
   a bull market.

Idioms

5. Idioms bull in a china shop, an awkward or clumsy person:
   He was like a bull in a china shop at that party, tripping over guests and getting in the way.
6. Idioms take the bull by the horns, to attack a difficult or risky problem boldly:
   He decided to take the bull by the horns and confront his boss.

bull² /bʊl/   n. [countable]

1. Religion a formal document issued by a pope:
   the papal bull.

bull³ /bʊl/   Slang.
n. [uncountable]

1. Slang Terms exaggerations;
   lies;
   nonsense:
   That story about his rescuing those flyers was complete bull.

v. [~ + object]

2. Slang Terms to try to fool or impress by lies or exaggeration:
   Don't bull me; just tell me what's going on.

Idioms

3. Idioms, Slang Terms shoot the bull, to engage in friendly, easygoing conversation:
   We sat around all night shooting the bull.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bull¹  (bŏŏl), n. 

1. the male of a bovine animal, esp. of the genus Bos, with sexual organs intact and capable of reproduction.
2. the male of certain other animals, as the elephant and moose.
3. a large, solidly built person.
4. a person who believes that market prices, esp. of stocks, will increase (opposed to bear).
5. (cap.) [Astron., Astrol.] the constellation or sign of Taurus.
6. a bulldog.
7. [Slang.] a police officer.
8. bull in a china shop:
   • an awkward or clumsy person.
   • an inconsiderate or tactless person.
   • a troublemaker;
     dangerous person.
9. take the bull by the horns, to attack a difficult or risky problem fearlessly.

adj. 

10. male.
11. of, pertaining to, or resembling a bull, as in strength.
12. having to do with or marked by a continuous trend of rising prices, as of stocks:
    a bull market.

v.t. 

13. [Stock Exchange.] to attempt to raise the price of.
14. to speculate in, in expectation of a rise in price.
15. to force;
    shove:
    to bull one's way through a crowd.
16. [Naut.] to ram (a buoy).

• 1150–1200; Middle English bule, Old English bula; akin to Old Norse boli; see bullock

bull′-like′, adj. 

bull²  (bŏŏl), n. 

1. a bulla or seal.
2. [Rom. Cath. Ch.] a formal papal document having a bulla attached.

• Medieval Latin bulla seal, sealed document; see bulla
• Anglo-French
• Middle English bulle 1250–1300

bull³  (bŏŏl), n. [Slang.]

1. Slang Terms exaggerations;
   lies;
   nonsense.
2. Slang Terms shoot the bull, to talk aimlessly:
   We just sat around shooting the bull.

• Medieval Latin bulla play, game, jest, perh. special use of Latin bulla bubble; now generally taken as a euphemistic shortening of bullshit
• 1620–30

Bull  (bŏŏl), n. 

1. Biographical John. See John Bull. 

Bull  (bo̅o̅l), n. 

O•le (Bor•ne•mann)  (ō′lə bor′nə män′), 1810–80, Norwegian violinist and composer.

bull., 

1. bulletin.