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Bully vs Harass - What's the difference?

bully | harass |

In obsolete|lang=en terms the difference between bully and harass

is that bully is (obsolete) a brisk, dashing fellow while harass is (obsolete) worry; harassment.

As nouns the difference between bully and harass

is that bully is a person who is cruel to others, especially those who are weaker or have less power while harass is (obsolete) devastation; waste.

As verbs the difference between bully and harass

is that bully is to intimidate (someone) as a bully while harass is to fatigue or to tire with repeated and exhausting efforts.

As an adjective bully

is (us|slang) very good; excellent.

As an interjection bully

is (often|followed by for) well done!.

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 .

    harass

    English

    Verb

    (es)
  • To fatigue or to tire with repeated and exhausting efforts.
  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=No matter how early I came down, I would find him on the veranda, smoking cigarettes, or
  • To annoy endlessly or systematically; to molest.
  • * 1877 , (Anna Sewell), (Black Beauty) Chapter 23[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Black_Beauty/23]
    • In my old home, I always knew that John and my master were my friends; but here, although in many ways I was well treated, I had no friend. York might have known, and very likely did know, how that rein harassed me; but I suppose he took it as a matter of course that could not be helped; at any rate nothing was done to relieve me.
  • To put excessive burdens upon; to subject to anxieties.
    • in the early 1940s.

    Synonyms

    * hassle * harry * chivy or chivvy * chevy or chevvy * beset * plague * molest * provoke

    Derived terms

    * harasser * harassment

    External links

    * *

    Noun

  • (obsolete) devastation; waste
    • (Milton)
  • (obsolete) worry; harassment
    • (Byron)