What does bulling mean?
Bulling is best understood as the present participle of the verb "bully," describing the act of intimidating, persecuting, or coercing someone perceived as weaker, typically through repeated aggression, threats, or an abuse of power. In everyday speech, however, the related noun "bullying" is far more common, so "bulling" appears relatively rarely in this sense outside continuous constructions such as "they were bulling him." The word carries a second, quite different meaning in livestock farming, especially in Britain, where "bulling" describes a bull mating with a cow, and a cow may be described as being "in bull." This dual life makes the word a striking example of homonymy arising from two unrelated roots: one tied to the social behavior of "bullying," the other to the farmyard animal itself. Context almost always disambiguates the two senses instantly.
Present participle of "bully": subjecting someone to repeated intimidation, coercion, or mistreatment.
"He was suspended after teachers learned he had been bulling younger pupils in the corridor."
Usually expressed with a progressive verb form ('is bulling', 'was bulling'); the standalone noun 'bullying' is more common in formal writing.
The action of a bull mating with a cow; the period or practice of putting a bull to a herd.
"The vet visited during bulling season to check the herd's fertility."
Chiefly British agricultural usage; largely unfamiliar outside farming contexts.
Very rarely used; the noun normally appears in uncountable singular constructions, and no established plural exists in common usage.
"Such repeated bullings eventually wore down even the most resilient student."
In farming circles, "bulling" has nothing to do with schoolyards — it's the old agricultural term for when a bull serves a cow.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bulling
The intimidation sense derives from the verb "bully," first recorded in English in the late 17th century, most likely from the Dutch "boel," meaning lover or sweetheart, whose sense shifted over time from a gallant or fine fellow to a swaggering harasser. The agricultural sense comes independently from "bull," the male cattle animal, a word of Old Norse origin ("boli"). Because the two strands have separate histories, they are true homonyms rather than extensions of a single root.
Related word forms
How bulling is actually used
The verbal form "bulling" is far less common than the noun "bullying," which dominates modern usage in discussions of harassment and abuse. The agricultural sense is chiefly British and rural register, familiar mainly within farming communities.
Easily confused with bulling
"Bowling" is a sport of rolling a ball at pins, while "bulling" refers to intimidating behavior or cattle mating.
"Bellowing" means roaring loudly like a bull, whereas "bulling" refers either to intimidation or to a bull mating with a cow.