Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1866-1930, 1993
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BULLIE, n.3, v. [′bʌle]
I. n. A loud crying, a bellow, yell, roar, howl, as of a frightened child (ne.Sc. 1975).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 18:
The loon geed oot wee a bullie o' a greet, an' fleggit the hail hoose. Abd. 1930:
Sic a soun about naething. You could hae heard the bullies o' 'im for miles.Abd. 1993:
E loot oot a bullie o a lauch.
II. v. To howl, bellow, roar, weep with a loud voice (ne.Sc. 1975).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 18:
He keepit a bulliean aifter's father, bit he wiz our far awa, an' didna hear 'im. Mry. 1887 A. G. Wilken Peter Laing 47:
The bull gaed to the han' barrow an' bullied oot.
[Cogn. with Eng. bellow. Cf. O.E. bylȝian, to roar.]
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"Bullie n.3, v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/bullie_n3_v>
