What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Duck vs Bull - What's the difference?

duck | bull |

In intransitive terms the difference between duck and bull

is that duck is to bow while bull is to be in heat; to manifest sexual desire as cows do.

As an adjective bull is

large and strong, like a bull.

duck

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Verb

(en verb)
  • To lower the head or body in order to prevent it from being struck by something.
  • To lower (something) into water; to thrust or plunge under liquid and suddenly withdraw.
  • * Fielding
  • Adams, after ducking the squire twice or thrice, leaped out of the tub.
  • To go under the surface of water and immediately reappear; to plunge one's head into water or other liquid.
  • * Dryden
  • In Tiber ducking thrice by break of day.
  • To lower (the head) in order to prevent it from being struck by something.
  • (Jonathan Swift)
  • To bow.
  • * Shakespeare
  • The learned pate / Ducks to the golden fool.
  • To evade doing something.
  • To lower the volume of (a sound) so that other sounds in the mix can be heard more clearly.
  • * 2007 , Alexander U. Case, Sound FX: unlocking the creative potential of recording studio effects (page 183)
  • The music is ducked under the voice.
    Synonyms
    * (to lower the head) duck down * (to lower into the water) dip, dunk * (to lower in order to prevent it from being struck by something) dip
    Derived terms
    * duck and cover * duck out

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) ducke, dukke, doke, dokke, douke, duke, from (etyl) duce, .

    Noun

  • An aquatic bird of the family Anatidae, having a flat bill and webbed feet.
  • Specifically'', an adult female duck; ''contrasted with'' drake ''and with duckling.
  • (uncountable) The flesh of a duck used as food.
  • (cricket) A batsman's score of zero after getting out. (short for duck's egg, since the digit "0" is round like an egg.)
  • (slang) A playing card with the rank of two.
  • A partly-flooded cave passage with limited air space.
  • A building intentionally constructed in the shape of an everyday object to which it is related.
  • A luncheonette in the shape of a coffee cup is particularly conspicuous, as is intended of an architectural duck or folly.
  • * 2007 , Cynthia Blair, "It Happened on Long Island: 1988—Suffolk County Adopts the Big Duck," , 21 Feb.:
  • The Big Duck has influenced the world of architecture; any building that is shaped like its product is called a ‘duck ’.
  • A marble to be shot at with another marble (the shooter) in children's games.
  • (US) A cairn used to mark a trail.
  • Hyponyms
    * (bird) Anas platyrhynchos (domesticus), Mallard-derived domestic breeds, including Pekin, Rouen, Campbell, Call, Runner; Cairina moschata, Muscovy duck
    Derived terms
    * break one’s duck, break the duck * Burdekin duck * dabbling duck * decoy duck * diving duck * duck-arsed * duckbill * duck-billed * duckboard * duck-footed * duckling * duckness * ducks and drakes * ducks on the pond * hunt where the ducks are * lame duck * Lord love a duck * odd duck * Peking duck * rubber duck * * shelduck * sitting duck * take to something like a duck to water

    See also

    * anatine * drake * goose * quack * swan * waterfowl

    References

    * Weisenberg, Michael (2000) The Official Dictionary of Poker. MGI/Mike Caro University. ISBN 978-1880069523

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) doek, from (etyl) doeck, .

    Alternative forms

    * (l), (l) (Scotland)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A tightly-woven cotton fabric used as sailcloth.
  • * 1912 , , "The Woman At The Store", from Selected Short Stories :
  • He was dressed in a Jaeger vest—a pair of blue duck trousers, fastened round the waist with a plaited leather belt.
  • Trousers made of such material.
  • *1918 , (Rebecca West), The Return of the Soldier , Virago 2014, p. 56:
  • *:And they would go up and find old Allington, in white ducks , standing in the fringe of long grasses and cow-parsley on the other edge of the island […].
  • Etymology 4

    (central England). From (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A term of endearment; pet; darling.
  • And hold-fast is the only dog, my duck (William Shakespeare - The Life of King Henry the Fifth, Act 2, Scene 3).
  • Dear, mate (informal way of addressing a friend or stranger).
  • Ay up duck , ow'a'tha?

    Synonyms

    * See

    Derived terms

    * ay up me duck

    bull

    English

    (wikipedia bull)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) bul, bule, from (etyl) . More at blow.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An adult male of domesticated cattle or oxen.
  • #Specifically, one that is uncastrated.
  • An adult male of certain large mammals, such as whales, elephants and seals.
  • A large, strong man.
  • (lb) An investor who buys (commodities or securities) in anticipation of a rise in prices.
  • (lb) A policeman.
  • *
  • *:The Bat—they called him the Bat.. He'd never been in stir, the bulls had never mugged him, he didn't run with a mob, he played a lone hand, and fenced his stuff so that even the fence couldn't swear he knew his face.
  • *1859 ,
  • *:Half-a-crown'' is known as an (alderman), (half a bull), (half a tusheroon), and a (madza caroon); whilst a ''crown'' piece, or ''five shillings , may be called either a (bull), or a (caroon), or a (cartwheel), or a (coachwheel), or a (thick-un), or a (tusheroon).
  • A man.
  • Synonyms
    * guy, dude, bro, cat * cop, copper, pig (derogatory''), rozzer (''British ). See also
    Antonyms
    * bear
    Coordinate terms
    * cow, ox, calf, steer

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Large and strong, like a bull.
  • Of large mammals, male.
  • a bull elephant
  • (finance) Of a market in which prices are rising (compare bear)
  • Synonyms
    * (large and strong) beefy, hunky, robust * (male): male
    Antonyms
    * (large and strong): feeble, puny, weak * (male): female * (of a market): bear

    Verb

  • To force oneself (in a particular direction).
  • He bulled his way in .
  • To lie, to tell untruths.
  • To be in heat; to manifest sexual desire as cows do.
  • (UK, military) To polish boots to a high shine.
  • (finance) To endeavour to raise the market price of.
  • to bull railroad bonds
  • (finance) To endeavour to raise prices in.
  • to bull the market

    Derived terms

    * bulldog * bulldozer * bulldust * bullfrog * bullhorn * bull in a china shop * bullseye * bullshit * bull wheel * shoot the bull * take the bull by the horns

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) bulle'', from (etyl) ''bulle'', from Low (etyl) ''bulla

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A papal bull, an official document or edict from the Pope.
  • A seal affixed to a document, especially a document from the Pope.
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • to publish in a Papal bull
  • Etymology 3

    From (etyl) . Popularly associated with (bullshit).

    Noun

    (-)
  • A lie.
  • (euphemistic, informal) Nonsense.
  • Synonyms
    * (nonsense) See also

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • to mock, cheat
  • Etymology 4

    From (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • a bubble
  • ----