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Bluster vs Bully - What's the difference?

bluster | bully | Synonyms |

Bluster is a synonym of bully.


As nouns the difference between bluster and bully

is that bluster is pompous, officious talk while bully is a person who is cruel to others, especially those who are weaker or have less power.

As verbs the difference between bluster and bully

is that bluster is to speak or protest loudly while bully is to intimidate (someone) as a bully.

As an adjective bully is

(us|slang) very good; excellent.

As an interjection bully is

(often|followed by for) well done!.

bluster

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Pompous, officious talk.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-22, volume=407, issue=8841, page=70, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= Engineers of a different kind , passage=Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers. Piling debt onto companies’ balance-sheets is only a small part of what leveraged buy-outs are about, they insist. Improving the workings of the businesses they take over is just as core to their calling, if not more so. Much of their pleading is public-relations bluster .}}
  • A gust of wind.
  • Fitful noise and violence.

    • Synonyms

    * (pompous talk) bombast

    Verb

  • To speak or protest loudly.
    • When confronted by opposition his reaction was to bluster , which often cowed the meek.
  • To act or speak in an unduly threatening manner.
  • * Burke
    • Your ministerial directors blustered like tragic tyrants.
  • * Sir T. More
    • He bloweth and blustereth out his abominable blasphemy.
  • * Fuller
    • As if therewith he meant to bluster all princes into a perfect obedience to his commands.
  • To blow in strong or sudden gusts.
  • * Milton
    • And ever-threatening storms / Of Chaos blustering round.

    Derived terms

    * blusterer * blustering * blusterous * blustery

    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 .