bullˈdog noun

1. A breed of sturdy muscular dogs of great courage, formerly used for baiting bulls
2. A person of obstinate courage
3. A short-barrelled revolver of large calibre
4. A proctor's attendant at Oxford
5. (Bulldog®) a brand of stationery clip with a spring, used for holding papers, etc together or to a board

transitive verb

1. To attack like a bulldog
2. To wrestle with and throw (a steer, etc) (US)

bulldog ant noun

A black or red Australian ant with a vicious sting

bullˈdust noun

1. A euphemism for bullshit (Aust and NZ)
2. Fine dust, as on outback roads (Aust)

bull dyke noun (offensive sl)

A lesbian of masculine appearance and manner

bull fiddle noun (US inf)

A double bass

bullˈfight noun

A popular spectacle in Spain, Portugal, S France, and Latin America, in which a bull is goaded to fury by mounted men (picadors) armed with lances, and killed by a specially skilful unmounted swordsman (matador)

bullˈfighter noun

bullˈfighting noun

bullˈfinch noun

1. A common European finch with red breast and thick neck
2. (perh for bull-fence) a kind of high, thick hedge hard to jump

bullˈfrog noun

A large frog

bullˈ-fronted adjective

Having a forehead like a bull

bullˈhead noun

1. The miller's thumb, a small river fish with a large, flat head
2. Extended to various similar fishes, eg the pogge (armed bullhead)
3. A stupid person

bull-headˈed adjective

Impetuous and obstinate

bull-headˈedness noun

bullˈ-hoof noun

A West Indian passion flower (from the shape of its leaf)

bullˈhorn noun (N American)

A loudhailer

bull market noun (stock exchange)

A market in which prices are rising

bullˈ-mastiff noun

A cross between a bulldog and a mastiff, the mastiff strain predominating

bullˈ-necked adjective

Thick-necked

bullˈnose adjective and noun

(something) with a blunt nose or rounded edge

bullˈ-nosed adjective

bullˈock's-heart noun

The custard apple

bullˈ-of-the-bogˈ noun (Scot)

The bittern

bull pen noun

1. A pen for a bull
2. A similar enclosure for prisoners (US)
3. The part of a baseball ground where pitchers warm up
4. The pitchers on a baseball team who enter the game to relieve the starting pitcher

bull point noun (informal)

A key point, a salient point

bullˈ-pup noun

A young bulldog

bullˈring noun

1. The enclosure for bullfighting or bull-baiting
2. A ring for a bull's nose

bullˈ-roarer noun

1. An oblong slip of wood, whirled at the end of a string to give a loud whirring noise
2. A similar artefact used in an Australian Aboriginal ceremonial, the turndun
3. The similar rhombos of the Greek mysteries

bull session noun (esp N American)

An informal discussion esp between men

bull’sˈ-eye noun

1. A round opening or window
2. The centre of a target
3. A shot that hits it (also figurative)
4. A big, round, hard peppermint sweet
5. The central boss formed in making a sheet of spun glass (old)
6. A thick lens, or round piece of glass, as in a lantern
7. A lantern

bull shark noun

A heavy-bodied shark (Carcharhinus leucas), noted for its aggressive behaviour

bullˈshit noun (vulgar sl)

1. Nonsense
2. Deceptive humbug
3. Bull (milit sl)

intransitive verb and transitive verb

1. To talk nonsense (to), often with the intention of deceiving
2. To polish over-zealously (milit sl)

bullˈshitter noun

bullˈshitting noun

bullˈshot noun

A cocktail of vodka, beef consommé and seasoning

bull snake noun

A gopher snake

bull’s wool noun (Aust inf)

1. Any fibrous bark
2. A euphemistic term for bullshit (see above)

bull terrier noun

A breed of dog with a smooth, short-haired coat, orig a cross between a bulldog and a terrier

bull trout noun

1. A large variety of sea-trout (Salmo trutto eriox)
2. A salmon that has re-entered fresh water after spawning

bullˈwhip or bullˈwhack noun

A heavy short-handled whip

transitive verb

To lash with a bullwhip

a bull in a china shop

A person who lacks the delicacy that the situation calls for

bull into

To plunge hastily into

not know a B from a bull's foot

To be very ignorant

take the bull by the horns

To grapple boldly with a danger or difficulty