Bullys

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. Engaging in intimidation or aggressive behavior towards someone weaker
2. Actively participating in the act of harassing or controlling others through fear
3. Involvement in coercive tactics aimed at dominating or undermining another individual

Etymology: "Bullys" is a misspelling of "bullies," the plural of "bully" (and the third-person singular of the verb "bully," as in "he bullys his brother"). The form that shows up here is the one that drops the "ie" ending in favour of a plain "s," so it is a spelling slip rather than a separate word with its own history. For the origin of the underlying word, "bully" (in the sense of a person who intimidates) comes from an older meaning of "sweetheart" or "fine fellow," which later shifted to a swaggering, browbeating character. The current sense of intimidating someone smaller or weaker grew out of that shift over the following centuries.

Synonyms: bullies, intimidators, tormentors, oppressors, harassers

Antonyms: protectors, defenders, allies, supporters, friends