▪ I. † ˈbuller, n.1 Obs.
[f. bull n.2 + -er1.]
a. One who issues or publishes a bull. b. A deceiver, cheat. [perh. a distinct word, cf. bull v.3, OF. bouleur ‘trompeur’ Godef.]
| a 1300 Cursor M. 29306 Fals bulleres þat þam makes and þam furth beres, or els þat falses þe papes sele. c 1460 Towneley Myst. 242 (Mätz.) Thise dysars and thise hullars, Thise cokkers and thise bollars. |
▪ II. buller, n.2 Sc.
(ˈbʊlə(r))
Also 6 bullyer.
[cf. Sw. buller noise, roar, Da. bulder tumbling noise. But influence of boil is manifest.]
1. A roaring noise (of waves or flood); the boiling of an eddy or torrent.
| 1513 Douglas æneis x. vi. 13 Calmyt all is But stowr or bullyer, murmour or moving. |
b. the Buller(s) of Buchan, a rocky recess on the Aberdeenshire coast, near Peterhead, open at the top; the sea, constantly raging in it, gives it the appearance of a boiling pot or caldron.
| 1769 Pennant Tour Scotl. 145 (Jam.) The famous Bullers of Buchan lying about a mile North of Bowness. 1774 Johnson West. Isl. Wks. 1787 X. 334 We..turned our eyes to the Buller..of Buchan. 1836 Penny Cycl. V. 508/1 The Bullers of Buchan, a nearly round basin about 30 yards wide. |
2. fig.
| 1851 Wilson Tales of Borders XX. 23 This new cause of sorrow increased my paroxysm to a perfect buller. |
▪ III. buller, n.3
(ˈbʊlə(r))
[f. bull n.1 + -er1.]
(See quots.)
| 1858 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XIX. 151 The cow..became what is called a ‘perpetual buller’, that is, always in a state to take the bull. 1901–3 Rep. Kansas State Board Agric. 253 (Cent. Dict. Suppl.), Buller, in stock-raising, a cow of irregular reproductive habit. 1953 S. J. Baker Australia Speaks ii. iii. 76 From dairy farm folk have come..buller, a cow on heat. |
▪ IV. buller, n.4 University slang.
(ˈbʊlə(r))
[See -er6.]
= bull-dog 2.
| 1906 'Varsity 1 Feb. 165/3 There's a buller over there. Wonder if he's waiting to spot anyone. 1919 Isis 5 Nov. 7/2 The Proctor..on a motor-scooter, accompanied by a couple of attendant ‘bullers’ on a push-bike. 1937 Evening News 5 May 10/3 A ‘buller’ was sent round to their house to collect the fines of 13/4 each. |
▪ V. buller, v.1 Sc.
(ˈbʊlə(r))
Also 6 bullir.
[f. buller n.2; cf. Sw. bullr-a, Da. buldre to roar, make a noise.]
To make a noise, to roar, to bellow.
| 1530 Lyndesay Test. Papyngo 95 Blait lyke ane hog, and buller lyke ane bull. 1549 Compl. Scot. (1872) 39 The bullis began to bullir, quhen the scheip began to blait. 1663 Spalding Troub. Chas. I (1829) 33 It..would duck under water, snorting and bullering. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xv, Screeching and bullering like a Bull of Bashan. |
▪ VI. † ˈbuller, v.2 Obs. Sc.
Also buler.
[Perh. the same word as prec., but influenced in sense by OF. bullir to boil.]
1. a. intr. To boil, to foam; to rush foaming. b. trans. To wash up in foaming waves.
| 1513 Douglas æneis i. iii. 26 The stowr wp bullerit sand as it war wind. Ibid. i. iii. 50 Salt watter stremis Fast bullerand in at every rift. Ibid. xi. xi. 34 Amasenus, that river..Abuf the brais bulryt as it war wod. |
2. intr. To make bubbles or foam.
| 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. II. 259 Full mony berne lay bulrand in his blude. 1536 Bellenden Cron. Scot. (1821) I. 231 The king was liand bullerand in his blude. a 1555 Lyndesay Trag. 338 Quhow I laye bulrand, baithit in my blude. |
Hence bullering ppl. a.
| 1533 Bellenden Livy v. (1822) 457 Thay sank doun and perist in the depe bullerand stremes. 1537 Lyndesay Deplor. Q. Magd. 45 So did this prince [swim] throw bulryng stremis wode. 1552 ― Monarche 1553 The gret Occiane..did nocht spred sic bulryng strandis As it dois now. |