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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)