John Bull /-ˈbʊl/
John n. 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.
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Bull n.
1. Zool. The male of any species of cattle (Bovidæ); 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.
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.
John Bull
n : a man of English descent [syn: limey]