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Bovidae - Dictionary Definition and Overview |
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Bovidae : (noun)
1: true antelopes; cattle; oxen; sheep; goats [syn: Bovidae,
family Bovidae]
Based on WordNet 2.0
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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.
Based on WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003)
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