Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
John \John\ (j[o^]n), n. [See {Johannes}.]
A proper name of a man.
{John-apple}, a sort of apple ripe about St. John's Day. Same
as {Apple-john}.
{John Bull}, an ideal personification of the typical
characteristics of an Englishman, or of the English
people.
{John Bullism}, English character. --W. Irving.
{John Doe} (Law), the name formerly given to the fictitious
plaintiff in an action of ejectment. --Mozley & W.
{John Doree}, {John Dory}. [John (or F. jaune yellow) +
Doree, Dory.] (Zo["o]l.) An oval, compressed, European
food fish ({Zeus faber}). Its color is yellow and olive,
with golden, silvery, and blue reflections. It has a round
dark spot on each side. Called also {dory}, {doree}, and
{St. Peter's fish}.
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®
John Bull
n : a man of English descent [syn: {limey}]