Jeer vs Bully - What's the difference?

As nouns the difference between jeer and bully

is that jeer is a railing remark or reflection; a scoff; a taunt; a biting jest; a flout; a jibe; mockery or jeer can be (nautical) a gear; a tackle while bully is a person who is cruel to others, especially those who are weaker or have less power.

As verbs the difference between jeer and bully

is that jeer is to utter sarcastic or mocking comments; to speak with mockery or derision; to use taunting language 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!.

jeer

English

Etymology 1

Perhaps a corruption of ).

Noun

(en noun)

A railing remark or reflection; a scoff; a taunt; a biting jest; a flout; a jibe; mockery.

* 1711 , , The Fable of Midas, in The Works of Jonathan Swift , D.D., Vol XII, Sir Walter Scott, ed., Edinburgh: Archibald Constable and Co., 1824, pages 302-5,

Midas, exposed to all their jeers , Had lost his art, and kept his ears.

Verb

(en verb)

To utter sarcastic or mocking comments; to speak with mockery or derision; to use taunting language.

* ,

But when he saw her toy and gibe and jeer .

* {{quote-news

, year=2011 , date=October 1 , author=Phil McNulty , title=Everton 0 - 2 Liverpool , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=At the end of a frantic first 45 minutes, there was still time for Charlie Adam to strike the bar from 20 yards before referee Atkinson departed to a deafening chorus of jeering from Everton's fans.}}

(archaic) To mock; treat with mockery; to taunt; to flout.

* Ben Jonson

And if we cannot jeer' them, we ' jeer ourselves.

Synonyms

* (to utter sarcastic remarks) scoff, sneer * (to treat with scoffs) deride, flout, gibe, mock, ridicule

Etymology 2

Compare (gear).

Noun

(en noun)

(nautical) A gear; a tackle.

(nautical, in the plural) An assemblage or combination of tackles, for hoisting or lowering the yards of a ship.

Derived terms

* jeer capstan

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 .