bulletbul‧let /ˈbʊlɪt/ ●●○ noun [countable] 
He was killed by a single bullet. a bullet wound in the shoulder Several bullet holes could be seen beside a window. → plastic bullet, → bite the bullet at bite1(9)COLLOCATIONSverbsfire a bullet· Police fired rubber bullets to break up the crowd.a bullet hits/strikes somebody· The first bullet hit him in the back.a bullet misses somebody/something· The bullet narrowly missed her heart.a bullet enters somebody's chest/brain etc· There was a scar where the bullet had entered his shoulder.a bullet is lodged in somebody's chest/brain etc (=is stuck in that part of the body)· Surgeons are trying to remove a bullet lodged in his neck.a bullet flies (=moves fast)· Bullets were flying around our heads.a bullet whistles (=moves fast making a noise)· I heard a bullet whistle past me.a bullet bounces/ricochets off something (=hits something and moves away from it again)· The bullet ricocheted off a wall.put a bullet through/in something· He threatened to put a bullet through my brain.spray bullets (=fire a lot of bullets)· The soldier lifted the machine gun and sprayed bullets through the trees.something is riddled with bullets (=something has a lot of bullets in it)· The car was riddled with bullets.adjectivesa stray bullet (=one that someone fires by mistake)· He was tragically killed by a stray bullet.a rubber/plastic bullet (=one made of rubber/plastic, not designed to kill)· Riot police fired plastic bullets into the air.an explosive bullet· An explosive bullet is a very unpleasant weapon.bullet + NOUNa bullet wound· He died from a bullet wound to his chest.a bullet hole· There were two bullet holes in the windscreen.phrasesa hail/volley of bullets (=a lot of bullets fired all together)· Officers were met by a hail of bullets from the house.
WORD ORIGINbullet
Origin:
1500-1600 French boulette ‘small ball’ and boulet ‘bullet’, from boule ‘ball’EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- Another bullet went through the jaw of Lieut.
- Bush dodged a bullet when Chavez was forced out.
- Carrefour faltered, doubling over as the bullet caught him just below the sternum.
- It was loaded with three bullets.
- Leaden Like a bullet To supplant Life from its centre.
- Round for round plastic bullets have killed over four times as many people as their rubber predecessors.
- Shoot the bird to wake it up and switch to the straight-up bullets.
Longman Language Activatorto accept a situation that you do not like
to accept a situation that you do not like but you cannot change: · Divorce is hard on children, but they have to accept it.learn/come to accept (=eventually accept): · In the US, people have come to accept that they will probably have several different jobs over the course of their career.accept the fact (that): · It was difficult for Paul to accept the fact that he was going bald.accept that: · Steptoe finally accepted that his son didn't want to continue working in the family business.
to accept an annoying situation or someone's annoying behaviour, without trying to stop it or change it: · I don't know how you put up with this noise day after day.· The kind of treatment that you have to put up with as a new army recruit is pretty horrible.
to accept an unpleasant situation, without trying to change it: · For years the workers have had to tolerate low wages and terrible working conditions.· I told him I wasn't going to tolerate his drinking any longer.
to realize that you must accept an unpleasant situation, because you cannot prevent it or avoid it: · The children have had to resign themselves to being without their father.resign yourself to the fact (that): · I'm resigned to the fact that I'm not going to get the job.
to accept a situation that you do not like, and try to enjoy it or make it less bad: · It's not the university that I really wanted to go to, but I suppose I'll just have to make the best of it.· Six months after the earthquake, city residents continue to make the best of a bad situation.
to accept an unpleasant or difficult situation and say that you will deal with it: · It's not easy, but as a manager, sometimes you have to bite the bullet and fire people.
spoken said when you have to accept something you do not like because you do not have the money or power to choose anything else: · It would be nice to have a suit with a better fit, but as they say, beggars can't be choosers.
spoken said when telling someone that a difficult situation must be accepted, especially because there is no way to prevent it or there is nothing anyone can do about it: · "Sorry you didn't get the job, Mike." "Yeah, thanks. I guess that's the way the cookie crumbles."
to accept a situation or job you do not like and try to deal with it in a determined way: · Rescue workers here have little choice but to grit their teeth and get on with the grim task of recovering the bodies.· I was desperately unhappy in that job, but had to grit my teeth and stay smiling for the sake of my children.
WORD SETSair rifle, nounair-to-air, adjectiveammo, nounammunition, nounanti-aircraft, adjectiveanti-personnel, adjectiveanti-tank, adjectivearmament, nounarmoured car, nounarmourer, nounarmour-plated, adjectivearrow, nounarrowhead, nounarsenal, nounartillery, nounatomic bomb, nounautomatic, nounballistic missile, nounballistics, nounbandolier, nounbarbed, adjectivebarrage, nounbarrage balloon, nounbarrel, nounbattering ram, nounbattery, nounbayonet, nounbayonet, verbbazooka, nounBB gun, nounblank, nounblaze, verbblowpipe, nounbludgeon, nounblunderbuss, nounbolt, nounbomb, nounbomber, nounbombing, nounbomb scare, nounbooby trap, nounboom, nounbore, nounbow, nounbrass knuckles, nounbroadsword, nounbuckshot, nounbullet, nounbullet-proof, adjectivebutt, nouncaisson, nouncalibre, nouncanister, nouncannon, nouncannonball, nouncarbine, nouncartridge, nouncatapult, nounchain mail, nounchamber, nouncharge, verbchemical warfare, nounchemical weapon, nounclip, nouncluster bomb, nouncock, verbColt, conventional, adjectivecordite, nouncosh, nouncrossbow, nouncruise missile, nounCS gas, nouncudgel, nouncutlass, nouncut-throat razor, noundagger, noundart, noundecommission, verbdetonator, noundevice, noundirk, noundisarm, verbdischarge, verbdismount, verbdouble-barrelled, duel, nounduel, verbdum-dum, nounelevation, nounemplacement, nounequalizer, nounfirearm, nounfirebomb, nounflak, nounflame thrower, nounflick knife, nounforty-five, nounfusillade, nounfusion bomb, noungauge, noungerm warfare, noungrenade, nounguidance, nounguided missile, noungun, noungun carriage, noungunner, noungunnery, noungunpowder, noungun-running, noungunshot, nounhaft, nounhair trigger, nounhalberd, nounhammer, nounhand grenade, nounhandgun, nounH-bomb, nounheat-seeking, adjectiveheavy, adjectivehilt, nounholster, nounhoming device, nounhowitzer, nounhydrogen bomb, nounICBM, nounincendiary, adjectiveKalashnikov, nounknuckle-duster, nounlance, nounlandmine, nounlive, adjectivelongbow, nounlong-range, adjectivemace, nounmachete, nounmachine gun, nounmagazine, nounmagnum, nounmarksman, nounmarksmanship, nounmegaton, nounmisfire, verbmissile, nounmortar, nounmunitions, nounmushroom cloud, nounmusket, nounmustard gas, nounmuzzle, nounnapalm, nounnerve gas, nounnightstick, nounnitroglycerine, nounnon-proliferation, nounnosecone, nounnuclear, adjectivenuke, verbnuke, nounordnance, nounparry, verbpayload, nounpepper, verbpike, nounpistol, nounplastic explosive, noun.22, nounpoison gas, nounpommel, nounpound, verbprime, verbprimer, nounprojectile, nounpropellant, nounquarterstaff, nounramrod, nounrange, nounrapid-fire, adjectiverapier, nounrearm, verbrecoil, verbrepeater, nounreport, nounrevolver, nounrifle, nounrocket, nounround, nounrubber bullet, nounsabre, nounsafety catch, nounsawn-off shotgun, nounscabbard, nounscimitar, nounsemi-automatic, adjectiveshaft, nounsheathe, verbshell, nounshell, verbshield, nounshooter, nounshot, nounshotgun, nounshrapnel, nounsidearm, nounsight, nounsilencer, nounsilo, nounsix-shooter, nounslash, nounsling, nounslingshot, nounslug, nounsmart bomb, nounsmoke bomb, nounsmokescreen, nounsnipe, verbsniper, nounspear, nounspear, verbSten gun, nounstockpile, nounstockpile, verbstun gun, nounsubmachine gun, nounsurface-to-air missile, nounsurface-to-surface missile, nounswordsmanship, nountank, nountear gas, nounthermonuclear, adjectivetime bomb, nountommy gun, nountorpedo, nountorpedo, verbtracer, nountrident, nountrigger, nountruncheon, noununload, verbvolley, nounvolley, verbwarhead, nounwater cannon, nounweapon, nounweaponry, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYverbs Guerrillas fired five rockets at the capital yesterday, killing 23 people. They shot arrows from behind the thick bushes.
· Police fired rubber bullets to break up the crowd.
· The first bullet hit him in the back.
· The bullet narrowly missed her heart.
· There was a scar where the bullet had entered his shoulder.
(=is stuck in that part of the body)· Surgeons are trying to remove a bullet lodged in his neck.
(=moves fast)· Bullets were flying around our heads.
(=moves fast making a noise)· I heard a bullet whistle past me.
(=hits something and moves away from it again)· The bullet ricocheted off a wall.
· He threatened to put a bullet through my brain.
(=fire a lot of bullets)· The soldier lifted the machine gun and sprayed bullets through the trees.
(=something has a lot of bullets in it)· The car was riddled with bullets.
adjectives (=one that someone fires by mistake)· He was tragically killed by a stray bullet.
(=one made of rubber/plastic, not designed to kill)· Riot police fired plastic bullets into the air.
· An explosive bullet is a very unpleasant weapon.
bullet + NOUN· He died from a bullet wound to his chest.
· There were two bullet holes in the windscreen.
phrases (=a lot of bullets fired all together)· Officers were met by a hail of bullets from the house.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Guerrillas fired five rockets at the capital yesterday, killing 23 people. They shot arrows from behind the thick bushes. American English (=be very anxious) Workers are sweating bullets over the possibility of job losses.
Workers are sweating bullets over the possibility of job losses.· Deaths from gunshot wounds have soared in this part of London.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· They have been called magic bullets because of their use in the treatment of cancer.· For the general population, beta carotene is not a magic bullet.· But there is no magic bullet.· A magic bullet for inflation, claim some writers.
· The demonstration was attacked by the military, several women were arrested and at least two shot with rubber bullets.· In Beit Sahour, a women's demonstration of more than 1000 was disbanded with the use of tear gas and rubber bullets.· Yes, he had been there in the thick of it, braving the rubber bullets and the tear-gas.· In February demonstrators calling for Bird's departure were dispersed by police using tear gas and rubber bullets.
· Perhaps silver bullets would have done the trick.· A pilot scale rig dedicated to the exploration and development of the silver bullet process has been fully operational for some months.· To kill the witch you need a silver bullet.
· The man fired a single bullet, and the decapitation of St Michael prevented him from suffering the same fate.· But that single bullet had destroyed Leyland as well as Maria.· The single bullet hit the pimp right in the heart at fifteen feet.· All four had been shot through the back of their heads with a single bullet as they slept.· Then the woman watched a gunman fire single bullets, one by one, into the back of their heads.
· Dimples like heavy rain spotted his wings as stray bullets went through, and then he reached the belt of anti-aircraft fire.· Many people were killed; four white spectators were unintentionally killed by stray bullets.· A stray bullet hit and killed the baby.· Five of the stray bullets bracketed him, whining angrily past to star the wall behind him.· Thirty-two men had got over and the only people hurt had been two patrolling guards hit by stray bullets.· Probably a stray bullet, I guess.
NOUN· Some of them also had other bullet wounds.· Because of the bullet wounds, the casket had been closed, which was a relief for him.· Of the ten animals successfully darted, nine had buckshot or bullet wounds.· In real life, Selena ran out of that motel room with a bullet wound, and bled to death.· There were two bullet wounds, one on the shoulder and a deeper one behind the head.· Seven bullet wounds, or nine, or 13, according to various accounts.· They were both back and front, obviously bullet wounds; and there was another old wound high on his right arm.· Y., resident still limps from a bullet wound suffered days after his rescue effort.
VERB· In the February issue I warned you that I was going to bite the bullet and buy a real computer.· You see, as Job Survivor I am sweating bullets by night, biting bullets by day.· So, this week, Priddle bit the bullet.· If the Socialists win the election, they too will have to bite the bullet.· It means Labour biting the bullet.· Shouldn't we bite the bullet now and legislate, as many are suggesting?· When fate marks you down for immortality you'd just better bite the bullet and lace your boots up tight.
· If these people were dying from bullets and bombs, they would never be out of the headlines.· John and Robert Kennedy, his two most famous uncles, died from assassins' bullets in the 1960s.· In his latest role, Michael Melia dies with a bullet through the head.· Ballistic evidence suggested that, in the shoot-out, the policeman may have died from a police bullet.
· Bush dodged a bullet when Chavez was forced out.· Tanya and her daughter live in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, where they dodge bullets and gangs.
· Fox had found a bullet bedded in the ground and a cartridge case to go with it.· For the second time in his life, Langford found bullets whining and cracking above his head.· The six, Hispanics from 15 to 40 years old, were found face down with bullet wounds in their heads.
· He fired one more tap-loaded bullet, then ran back parallel to the road.· I fired once and the bullet entered her temple at her hair line.· The man fired a single bullet, and the decapitation of St Michael prevented him from suffering the same fate.· The device, which used a shotgun modified to fire bullets, was concealed in a wooden box hidden among trees.· A gun is known to fire bullets at precisely three hundred and thirty meters per second.· The head gave a sudden twist and Jack fired two more bullets into it.
· He heard the fluttering of bullets before the fast slap-slap-slap of an automatic rifle.· I could hear the bullets striking the stalks.· And I didn't hear the bullet leaving the rifle.· It was an easy shot, but as I heard the bullet strike he bounded away.
· Musa Anter was hit by four bullets, Orhan Miroglu by three.· Inmates still fighting are hit with rubber bullets.· A postmortem showed he had been hit by five bullets and had also been struck by a number of shotgun pellets.· The gunships had to stop firing as we flared close to the ground because we could be hit by ricocheting bullets.· People were being hit with live lead bullets and were screaming for help.· Nobody was hit by the bullet and the two fleeing men surrendered.· If some one gets hit by a magnum bullet, he is dead.· But it is bait which hit back with bullets.
· He had been killed by a shotgun bullet that almost decapitated him.· Many people were killed; four white spectators were unintentionally killed by stray bullets.· The girls usually ignore the soldiers, though some have been killed by random bullets.
· These are real thugs who pumped real bullets into real people.
· If they pack you off to Brighton, they want you to put a bullet in him.· So I picked up my. 303, and put a bullet through him, he said.· I put a bullet close to his head and he dived for cover.· A quick and total resignation - the modern way for an honourable man to put a bullet through his brain.· Alejandro was all for putting a bullet through this she-devil's head and dispatching her to the nearest abattoir.· He'd put a bullet in her brain himself.· A trooper shot the Lieutenant's horse, leaning from his saddle to put the bullet plumb into the beast's skull.· Troughton personally puts a bullet through their brains.
· He was shot with six bullets through the window of a hut as he slept.· Had he been hurt, shot by a renegade bullet?· Then it just shot bullets at a tin can.
· In the first experiment our source is a not very accurate gun which sprays bullets on to the first screen.· Less than two weeks earlier, two Fort Lauderdale clinics had been sprayed with bullets from a. 45 automatic.
· Social service is important, but not to the extent of stopping a bullet.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► pump bullets into somebody/something► spray somebody/something with bullets► a spray of bullets/gravel etc
a small piece of metal that you fire from a gun: - A lot of companies had to bite the bullet and lay off a lot of their employees.
- It's not easy, but as a manager, sometimes you have to bite the bullet and fire people.
- If the Socialists win the election, they too will have to bite the bullet.
- In the February issue I warned you that I was going to bite the bullet and buy a real computer.
- It means Labour biting the bullet.
- Shouldn't we bite the bullet now and legislate, as many are suggesting?
- So, this week, Priddle bit the bullet.
- When fate marks you down for immortality you'd just better bite the bullet and lace your boots up tight.
- At 8am police officers, accompanying prison staff, tried to enter the centre but were met by a hail of stones.
- Sandra Mitchley, 35, died immediately in a hail of bullets.
- The man got within twenty yards of the tape before a hail of bullets finally brought him down.
- The mere appearance of a uniform is often enough to provoke a hail of stones, even a riot.
- They knew they had entered small-arms range when a hail of bullets crippled the steering.
- Three West Belfast men died in a hail of bullets.
- More investment isn't a silver bullet for poor neighborhoods.
- A pilot scale rig dedicated to the exploration and development of the silver bullet process has been fully operational for some months.
- Perhaps silver bullets would have done the trick.
- To kill the witch you need a silver bullet.
He was killed by a single bullet. a bullet wound in the shoulder Several bullet holes could be seen beside a window. → plastic bullet, → bite the bullet at bite1(9)COLLOCATIONSverbsfire a bullet· Police fired rubber bullets to break up the crowd.a bullet hits/strikes somebody· The first bullet hit him in the back.a bullet misses somebody/something· The bullet narrowly missed her heart.a bullet enters somebody's chest/brain etc· There was a scar where the bullet had entered his shoulder.a bullet is lodged in somebody's chest/brain etc (=is stuck in that part of the body)· Surgeons are trying to remove a bullet lodged in his neck.a bullet flies (=moves fast)· Bullets were flying around our heads.a bullet whistles (=moves fast making a noise)· I heard a bullet whistle past me.a bullet bounces/ricochets off something (=hits something and moves away from it again)· The bullet ricocheted off a wall.put a bullet through/in something· He threatened to put a bullet through my brain.spray bullets (=fire a lot of bullets)· The soldier lifted the machine gun and sprayed bullets through the trees.something is riddled with bullets (=something has a lot of bullets in it)· The car was riddled with bullets.adjectivesa stray bullet (=one that someone fires by mistake)· He was tragically killed by a stray bullet.a rubber/plastic bullet (=one made of rubber/plastic, not designed to kill)· Riot police fired plastic bullets into the air.an explosive bullet· An explosive bullet is a very unpleasant weapon.bullet + NOUNa bullet wound· He died from a bullet wound to his chest.a bullet hole· There were two bullet holes in the windscreen.phrasesa hail/volley of bullets (=a lot of bullets fired all together)· Officers were met by a hail of bullets from the house.