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Bait vs Bully - What's the difference?

bait | bully | Related terms |

Bait is a related term of bully.


As adjectives the difference between bait and bully

is that bait is while bully is (us|slang) very good; excellent.

As a noun bully is

a person who is cruel to others, especially those who are weaker or have less power.

As a verb bully is

to intimidate (someone) as a bully.

As an interjection bully is

(often|followed by for) well done!.

bait

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) bait, beite, from (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • Any substance, especially food, used in catching fish, or other animals, by alluring them to a hook, snare, trap, or net.
  • Food containing poison or a harmful additive to kill animals that are pests.
  • Anything which allures; a lure; enticement; temptation.
    • (Fairfax)
  • A portion of food or drink, as a refreshment taken on a journey; also, a stop for rest and refreshment.
  • A light or hasty luncheon.
    • Usage notes
    Used in Geordie dialect of English to denote your lunch at work as opposed to other meals. Also used in East Anglian dialect of English to denote a small meal taken mid-morning while farming, and in the North of England to denote a snack taken by miners to eat while working.
    Derived terms
    * baiting * flamebait * jailbait * shark bait
    References
    * * * * *

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To attract with bait; to entice.
  • To affix bait to a trap or a fishing hook or fishing line.
  • * Washington Irving
    • a crooked pin bailed with a vile earthworm
    Usage notes
    * This verb is sometimes confused in writing with the rare verb (bate), which is pronounced identically; in particular, the expression (with bated breath) is frequently misspelled *(term) by writers unfamiliar with the verb (bate).

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) baiten, beiten, from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To set dogs on (an animal etc.) to bite or worry; to attack with dogs, especially for sport.
  • :to bait''' a bear with dogs;  to '''bait a bull
  • To intentionally annoy, torment, or threaten by constant rebukes or threats; to harass.
  • To feed and water (a horse or other animal), especially during a journey.
  • *, Bk.V, Ch.ix:
  • *:And than they com into a lowe medow that was full of swete floures, and there thes noble knyghtes bayted her horses.
  • Of a horse or other animal: to take food, especially during a journey.
  • *, II.22:
  • *:King Cyrus , that he might more speedily receave news from al parts of his Empire (which was of exceeding great length), would needs have it tried how far a horse could in a day goe outright without baiting , at which distance he caused stations to be set up, and men to have fresh horses ready for al such as came to him.
  • To stop to take a portion of food and drink for refreshment during a journey.
  • *Milton
  • *:Evil news rides post, while good news baits .
  • *Evelyn
  • *:My lord's coach conveyed me to Bury, and thence baiting at Newmarket.
    • See also
    *

    Etymology 3

    (etyl) battre de l'aile'' or ''des ailes , to flap or flutter.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To flap the wings; to flutter as if to fly; or to hover, as a hawk when she stoops to her prey.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Kites that bait and beat.

    Anagrams

    * ----

    bully

    English

    (wikipedia bully)

    Noun

  • A person who is cruel to others, especially those who are weaker or have less power.
    • A playground bully pushed a girl off the swing.
    I noticed you being a bully towards people with disabilities.
  • A noisy, blustering fellow, more insolent than courageous; one who is threatening and quarrelsome; an insolent, tyrannical fellow.
  • * Palmerston
    • Bullies seldom execute the threats they deal in.
  • A hired thug.
  • A prostitute’s minder; a pimp.
  • (uncountable) Bully beef.
  • (obsolete) A brisk, dashing fellow.
    • "Bully Bottom" from A Midsummer Night's Dream, III, i, 6.
  • The small scrum in the Eton College field game.
  • A small freshwater fish.

    • Synonyms

    * (hired thug) henchman, thug * (pimp) pimp, ponce

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • To intimidate (someone) as a bully.
    • You shouldn't bully people for being gay.
  • To act aggressively towards.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011
    • , date=January 15 , author=Sam Sheringham , title=Chelsea 2 -03 Blackburn Rovers , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=The Potters know their strengths and played to them perfectly here, out-muscling Bolton in midfield and bullying the visitors' back-line at every opportunity. }}

    Synonyms

    * (intimidate) browbeat, hector, intimidate, ride roughshod over * (act aggressively toward) push around, ride roughshod over

    Adjective

    (er)
  • (US, slang) Very good; excellent.
    • a bully horse
  • (slang) Jovial and blustering; dashing.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Bless thee, bully doctor.

    Synonyms

    * (excellent) excellent, marvellous/marvelous, splendid, super, superb, top-notch

    Derived terms

    * bully boy * bully pulpit

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • (often, followed by for) Well done!
    • She's finally leaving her abusive husband — bully for her!

    Synonyms

    * bravo, well done, see also .