Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Bull \Bull\, n. [OE. bule, bul, bole; akin to D. bul, G. bulle,
Icel. boli, Lith. bullus, Lett. bollis, Russ. vol'; prob. fr.
the root of AS. bellan, E. bellow.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) The male of any species of cattle
({Bovid[ae]}); hence, the male of any large quadruped, as
the elephant; also, the male of the whale.
Note: The wild bull of the Old Testament is thought to be the
oryx, a large species of antelope.
2. One who, or that which, resembles a bull in character or
action. --Ps. xxii. 12.
3. (Astron.)
(a) Taurus, the second of the twelve signs of the zodiac.
(b) A constellation of the zodiac between Aries and
Gemini. It contains the Pleiades.
At last from Aries rolls the bounteous sun, And
the bright Bull receives him. --Thomson.
4. (Stock Exchange) One who operates in expectation of a rise
in the price of stocks, or in order to effect such a rise.
See 4th {Bear}, n., 5.
{Bull baiting}, the practice of baiting bulls, or rendering
them furious, as by setting dogs to attack them.
{John Bull}, a humorous name for the English, collectively;
also, an Englishman. ``Good-looking young John Bull.''
--W. D.Howells.
{To take the bull by the horns}, to grapple with a difficulty
instead of avoiding it.
Source : WordNet®
Bovidae
n : true antelopes; cattle; oxen; sheep; goats [syn: {family
Bovidae}]