bullying
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- The act of intimidating a weaker person to make them do something: "Bullying" refers to the repeated, intentional use of power or aggression to hurt, threaten, or frighten someone perceived as vulnerable.
Adjective:
- Noisily domineering; tending to browbeat others: Describes a person or behavior that is aggressively overbearing, loud, and intimidating.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- The school has a zero-tolerance policy for bullying.
- Cyberbullying is a serious problem among teenagers.
Adjective:
- His bullying tone made everyone in the meeting uncomfortable.
- She left the job to escape her bullying boss.
Advanced Usage
"To stand up to bullying": to resist or confront bullying behavior.
- It's important to teach children to stand up to bullying.
"A culture of bullying": an environment where bullying behavior is common or tolerated.
- The investigation revealed a culture of bullying within the organization.
Variants and Related Words
Bully (n/v): (Noun) A person who uses strength or power to harm or intimidate those who are weaker. (Verb) To act like a bully; to use strength or power to harm or intimidate.
- He was a bully in school. (Noun)
- The older kids tried to bully him into giving them his lunch money. (Verb)
Bullying (adj, present participle): Can function as an adjective derived from the verb 'to bully'.
- Bullying behavior will not be tolerated.
Synonyms
- Intimidation (n): The action of frightening or threatening someone.
- Harassment (n): Aggressive pressure or intimidation.
- Domineering (adj): Asserting one's will over another in an arrogant way.
- Tyrannical (adj): Exercising power in a cruel or arbitrary way.
Related Phrases
Workplace bullying: The repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons by one or more perpetrators at work.
- The company introduced new policies to combat workplace bullying.
School bullying: A type of bullying that occurs in an educational setting.
- Parents attended a seminar on preventing school bullying.
Idioms and Common Expressions
- "Bully pulpit": A public office or position of authority that provides its occupant with an opportunity to speak out and be listened to on any matter. (Note: This idiom uses "bully" in an older, positive sense meaning "excellent" or "first-rate," and is not directly related to the negative act of bullying).
- The president used the bully pulpit to advocate for the new policy.
Adjective
- noisily domineering; tending to browbeat others
Noun
- the act of intimidating a weaker person to make them do something