bull (redirected from takes the bull by the horns)

*bull in a china shop

Prov. a very clumsy creature in a delicate situation. (*Typically: as awkward as ~; like ~.) I never know what to say at a funeral. I feel like a bull in a china shop, trampling on feelings without even meaning to. Lester felt like a bull in a china shop; reaching for an orange, he made several elaborate pyramids of fruit tumble down.

See also: china, shop

*in the bull pen 

1. Lit. [of a baseball pitcher to be] in a special place near the playing field, warming up to pitch. (*Typically: be ~; go [into] ~.) You can tell who is pitching next by seeing who is in the bull pen. Our best pitcher just went into the bull pen. He'll be pitching soon.

2. Fig. in reserve, ready if needed. I'm willing to be in the bull pen. Just call me if you need me.

See also: pen

cock-and-bull story

a hard-to-believe, made-up story; a story that is a lie. Don't give me that cock-and-bull story. I asked for an explanation, and all I got was your ridiculous cock-and-bull story!

See also: story

couldn't hit a bull in the ass with a bass fiddle

Rur. unable to aim; very clumsy. (Jocular. Use with caution.) Tom: Is Jane a good shot? Charlie: She couldn't hit a bull in the ass with a bass fiddle.

See also: ass, couldn't, fiddle, hit

full of hot air and full of beans; full of bull; full of it; full of prunes

Fig. full of nonsense; talking nonsense. Oh, shut up, Mary. You're full of hot air. Don't pay any attention to Bill. He's full of beans. My English professor is full of bull. You're full of it.

See also: air, full, hot

hit the bull's-eye 

1. Lit. to hit the very center of a circular target. The archer hit the bull's-eye three times in a row. I didn't hit the bull's-eye even once.

2. Fig. to achieve the goal perfectly. Your idea really hit the bull's-eye. Thank you! Jill has a lot of insight. She knows how to hit the bull's-eye.

See also: hit

shoot the breeze

Fig. to chat casually and without purpose. We spent the entire afternoon just shooting the breeze. It was good to shoot the breeze with you, Mary.

See also: breeze, shoot

shoot the bull and shoot the crap; shoot the shit

Inf. to chat and gossip. (The same as throw the bull. Use caution with crap, shit.) Let's get together sometime and shoot the bull. You spend too much time shooting the crap.

See also: shoot

take the bull by the horns

Fig. to confront a problem head-on and deal with it openly. It's time to take the bull by the horns and get this job done.

See also: horn, take

throw the bull and throw the crap

Sl. Fig. to chat; to boast. (Use caution with crap.) Tom could really throw the bull and sound right as rain. You're just throwing the crap. Can it!

See also: throw

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a cock-and-bull story  (informal)

a story or explanation which is obviously not true She told me some cock-and-bull story about her car breaking down.

See also: story

be full of crap/shit  (British, American & Australian taboo) also be full of bull (American very informal)

to often say stupid or wrong things I wouldn't listen to what Jeremy says, he's always full of shit.

See also: crap, full

be like a bull in a china shop

to often drop or break things because you move awkwardly or roughly Rob's like a bull in a china shop - don't let him near those plants. She's like a bull in a china shop when it comes to dealing with people's feelings. (= behaves in a way that offends people)

See also: china, like, shop

be like a red rag to a bull

if a statement or an action is like a red rag to a bull, it makes someone very angry

Usage notes: Some people believe that bulls become very angry when they see the colour red.

For Claire, the suggestion of a women-only committee was like a red rag to a bull.

See also: like, rag, red

bull-headed

someone who is bull-headed is determined to do exactly what they want to do, and does not think about what other people want He's completely bull-headed. I asked him not to throw out that old table, but he did it anyway.

John Bull  (old-fashioned)

a character who represents a typical English man or the English people

Usage notes: This phrase comes from a book called The History of John Bull written by John Arbuthnot in 1712.

In the cartoon, John Bull appears as a short, stocky figure wearing a waistcoat with the British flag on.

See also: john

like a bull at a gate

if you do something like a bull at a gate, you do it very quickly Al wants to finish the shelves today so he's going at them like a bull at a gate.

See also: gate, like

shoot the breeze/bull  (American informal)

to talk in a relaxed way about things that are not important We sat out on the porch until late, just shooting the breeze.

See also: breeze, shoot

take the bull by the horns

to do something difficult in a determined and confident way Why don't you take the bull by the horns and tell him to leave?

See shoot the breeze

See also: horn, take

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(as) strong as a bull See: (as) strong as an ox

See also: strong

shoot the breeze

to have a relaxed conversation Hank and his pals spend a lot of time drinking beer, shooting the breeze, and thinking about girls.

See also: breeze, shoot

take the bull by the horns

to forcefully attack a difficult situation I took the bull by the horns and confronted him about his drinking.

Etymology: based on the idea that holding a bull (male cow) by its horns is a brave and direct action

See also: horn, take