- [countable]
the male of any animal in the cow family 公牛 a bull neck (= a short thick neck like a bull's) （公牛般的）短粗脖子
- [countable]
the male of the elephant, whale and some other large animals 雄的（象、鲸等）大动物 a bull elephant 一只雄象
- [countable] (
finance 金融 a person who buys shares in a company, hoping to sell them soon afterwards at a higher price （预期证券价格上升的）买空者，多头 - [countable]
an official order or statement from the Pope (= the head of the Roman Catholic Church) 教皇诏书；教皇训谕 a papal bull 教皇训谕
- [uncountable] (informal)
ideas, statements or beliefs that you think are silly or not true 公牛： 您认为愚蠢或不正确的想法，陈述或信念 - [countable] (also bullseye)
the centre of the target that you shoot or throw at in shooting, archery or darts; a shot or throw that hits this 靶心；鹄的；命中靶心 see also cock and bull story
Word Originsenses 1 to 3 and sense 6 late Old English bula (recorded in place names), from Old Norse boli. Compare with bullock.sense 4 Middle English: from Old French bulle, from Latin bulla ‘bubble, rounded object’ (in medieval Latin ‘seal ’or‘ sealed document’).
Idioms
a bull in a china shop
a person who is careless, or who moves or acts in a rough way, in a place or situation where skill and care are needed （不顾环境）笨拙莽撞的人，冒失鬼 You’re not going to go storming in there like a bull in a china shop, are you? 你不会像瓷器店里的公牛一样冲进去吧？
like waving a red flag in front of a bull (North American English)
(British English a red rag to a bull)
used to talk about something that is likely to make somebody very angry 斗牛的红布；激起人怒火的事物
shoot the breeze/bull
- (North American English, informal)
to have a conversation in an informal way 聊天；闲聊
take the bull by the horns
to face a difficult or dangerous situation directly and with courage 勇敢面对困境（或险境） Nora decided to take the bull by the horns and organize things for herself. 诺拉决定挺身面对困难，由自己来安排事情。