bully [M16th] People originally liked bullies. When it came into the English language in the 16th century, probably from an old Dutch word boele ‘lover’, bully was a term of endearment, much like ‘sweetheart’ or ‘darling’. At the end of the 17th century it was being used to mean ‘admirable or jolly’, and finally the more general sense of ‘first-rate’ developed. Today this survives only in the expression bully for you! [M19th], ‘well done! good for you!’ The usual modern sense dates from the late 17th century, probably from its use as an informal way of addressing a male friend, or referring to a ‘lad’ or ‘one of the boys’. The bully of bully beef is a mid 18th-century alteration of French bouilli ‘boiled’.