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Bossy vs Oppressive - What's the difference?

bossy | oppressive |

As adjectives the difference between bossy and oppressive

is that bossy is tending to give orders to others, especially when unwarranted; domineering or bossy can be ornamented with bosses; studded while oppressive is burdensome or difficult to bear.

As a noun bossy

is (us|informal|dated) a cow or calf.

bossy

English

Etymology 1

Adjective

(er)
  • Tending to give orders to others, especially when unwarranted; domineering.
    • Synonyms
    * dictatorial, authoritarian, commanding, tyrannical, demanding, inflexible * see also

    Etymology 2

    Diminutive of dialectal English boss, as used in the term ).

    Noun

    (bossies)
  • (US, informal, dated) A cow or calf.
  • * about 1900 , O. Henry,
    • A week before, while riding the prairies, Raidler had come upon a sick and weakling calf deserted and bawling. Without dismounting he had reached and slung the distressed bossy across his saddle, and dropped it at the ranch for the boys to attend to.

    Etymology 3

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Ornamented with bosses; studded.
    • ----

    oppressive

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Burdensome or difficult to bear.
    • The oppressive tax laws made it difficult to start a small company.
  • Tyrannical or exercising unjust power.
    • The oppressive land-owners kept a grip on the labourers.
  • Weighing heavily on the spirit; intense, or overwhelming
    • Will the oppressive heat of summer never end?

    Synonyms

    * (weather) humid, close