BULLET, bool'et, _n._ the projectile of lead or other metal discharged from
any kind of small-arm: a plumb or sinker in fishing.--_n._ BULL'ET-HEAD, a
head round like a bullet: (_U.S._) an obstinate fellow.--_adjs._
BULL'ET-HEAD'ED; BULL'ET-PROOF, proof against bullets. [Fr. _boulet_, dim.
of _boule_, a ball--L. _bulla_. See BULL, an edict.]
BULLETIN, bool'e-tin, _n._ an official report of public news. [Fr.,--It.
_bullettino_.]
BULLION, bool'yun, _n._ gold and silver in the mass and uncoined, though
occasionally used as practically synonymous with the precious metals,
coined and uncoined: a heavy twisted cord fringe, often covered with gold
or silver wire.--_n._ BULL'IONIST, one in favour of an exclusive metallic
currency. [Ety. dub.; but apparently related to Low L. _bullio_, a boiling,
melting.]
BULLY, bool'i, _n._ a blustering, noisy, overbearing fellow: a ruffian
hired to beat or intimidate any one: a fellow who lives upon the gains of a
prostitute: (_obs._) a term of familiarity to either man or woman.--_adj._
blustering: brisk: (_U.S._) first-rate.--_v.i._ to bluster.--_v.t._ to
threaten in a noisy way:--_pr.p._ bull'ying; _pa.p._ bull'ied.--_n._
BULL'YISM.--_v.t._ BULL'YRAG (_coll._), to assail with abusive language, to
overawe.--_ns._ BULL'YRAGGING; BULL'Y-ROOK, a bully.--BULLY FOR YOU, bravo!
[Perh. Dut. _boel_, a lover; cf. Ger. _buhle_.]
BULLY, bool'i, _n._ a miner's hammer.
BULLY-TREE, bool'i-tr[=e], _n._ a name given to several West Indian
sapotaceous trees yielding good timber.--Also BULL'ET-TREE, BULL'ETRIE,
BOLL'ETRIE.
BULRUSH, bool'rush, _n._ a large strong rush, which grows on wet land or in
water--often applied to the cat's-tail (_Typha_).--_adj._ BUL'RUSHY.
BULSE, buls, _n._ a bag for diamonds, &c.: a package or certain quantity of
such. [Port. _bolsa_--Low L. _bursa_, a purse. See PURSE.]
BULWARK, bool'wark, _n._ a fortification or rampart: a breakwater or
sea-wall: any means of defence or security.--_v.t._ to defend. [Cf. Ger.
_bollwerk_.]
BUM, bum, _n._ (_Shak._) the buttocks.--_ns._ BUM'-BAIL'IFF, an
under-bailiff; BUM'-BOAT, boat for carrying provisions to a ship,
originally a Thames scavenger's boat. [Ety. dub., prob. from _bump_, from
sense of 'swelling.']
BUM, bum, _v.i._ to hum or make a murmuring sound, as a bee: (_slang_) to
live dissolutely.--_pr.p._ bum'ming; _pa.p._ bummed.--_n._ a humming sound:
a spree, debauch: a dissipated fellow. [Onomatopoeic.]
BUMBAZE, bum'b[=a]z, _v.t._ to confound, bamboozle.
BUMBLE-BEE, bum'bl-b[=e], _n._ a large kind of bee that makes a bumming or
humming noise: the humble-bee.--_n._ BUM'-CLOCK (_Scot._), a drone-beetle.
[M. E. _bumble_, freq. of BUM, and BEE.]
BUMBLEDOM, bum'bl-dom, _n._ fussy pomposity. [From _Bumble_, name of the
beadle in Dickens's _Oliver Twist_.]
BUMBLE-FOOT, bum'bl-foot, _n._ a disease of domestic fowls, marked by
inflammation of the ball of the foot: a club-foot.--_adj._ BUM'BLE-FOOT'ED,
club-footed.
BUMBLE-PUPPY, bum'bl-pup'i, _n._ whist played regardless of rules: the game
of nine-holes.--_n._ BUM'BLE-PUPP'IST, one who plays whist without knowing
the game.
BUMBO, bum'b[=o], _n._ a punch of rum or gin with sugar, nutmeg, &c.
BUMKIN, BUMPKIN, bum'kin, _n._ a short beam of timber projecting from each
bow of a ship, for the purpose of extending the lower corner of the
foresail to windward: a small outrigger over the stern of a boat, usually
serving to extend the mizzen. [From BOOM, and dim. termination _kin_.]
BUMMALO, bum'a-l[=o], _n._ a small fish dried and salted all round the
coast of India--_Bombay duck_ and _nehar_.--Also BUMMAL[=O]'TI. [East Ind.]
BUMMAREE, bum'ar-[=e], _n._ a middleman in the Billingsgate fish-market.
[Ety. unknown: hardly the Fr. _bonne marée_, good fresh sea-fish.]
BUMMER, bum'[.e]r, _n._ a plundering straggler or camp-follower during the
American Civil War: a dissolute fellow, a loafer, a sponge.
BUMMLE, bum'l, _v.i._ (_prov._) to blunder.--_n._ an idle fellow.