bullet

[ bool-it ]

noun

1. a small metal projectile, part of a cartridge, for firing from small arms.
2. a cartridge.
3. a small ball.
4. Printing. a heavy dot for marking paragraphs or otherwise calling attention to or itemizing particular sections of text, especially in display advertising.
5. Cards. an ace.

verb (used without object)

, bul·let·ed, bul·let·ing.

1. to move swiftly.

bullet

/ ˈbʊlɪt /

noun

1. 1. a small metallic missile enclosed in a cartridge, used as the projectile of a gun, rifle, etc
   2. the entire cartridge
2. something resembling a bullet, esp in shape or effect
3. stock exchange a fixed interest security with a single maturity date
4. commerce a security that offers a fixed interest and matures on a fixed date
5. commerce
   1. the final repayment of a loan that repays the whole of the sum borrowed, as interim payments have been for interest only
   2. ( as modifier )

      a bullet loan

6. slang.
   dismissal, sometimes without notice (esp in the phrases get or give the bullet )
7. See centred dot
   printing See centred dot
8. See bite
   bite the bullet
   bite the bullet See bite

Derived Forms

• ˈbullet-ˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• bullet·less adjective
• bullet·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bullet¹

1550–60; < Middle French boullette, equivalent to boulle ball ( bowl ² ) + -ette -ette

Word History and Origins

Origin of bullet¹

C16: from French boulette , diminutive of boule ball; see bowl ²

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. bite the bullet, to force oneself to perform a painful, difficult task or to endure an unpleasant situation:

   We'll just have to bite the bullet and pay higher taxes.

More idioms and phrases containing bullet

see bite the bullet ; sweat bullets .

Example Sentences

The dot formation in the weekday slots borrows from the ultra-popular bullet journal method, but handles much of the work for you.

From Popular-Science

Taiwan’s compact size means that adventure is never more than two hours away by bullet train from any major city.

From Outside Online

While recognizing monthly fluctuations can be useful, period tracking isn’t a silver bullet.

From Outside Online

Whatever his intentions, the bullets were in the chamber long before Rittenhouse was born.

From Ozy

AB 66 would have reined in the use of rubber bullets and other non-lethal weapons on protesters.

From Voice of San Diego

Merabet had already been immobilized by a bullet to the groin.

From The Daily Beast

The incident still might have sparked trouble because that lone bullet proved fatal for a man who was black.

From The Daily Beast

He survived, Risner says, but was left permanently injured by a bullet to his spine.

From The Daily Beast

Not only did a cherished character get a bullet to the brain, but things are only going to get worse on The Walking Dead.

From The Daily Beast

Her mother, pregnant at the time of the killing, was hit in the shoulder by a bullet from the same gun that killed her son.

From The Daily Beast

He had not the least idea what wadding was, and his notion of a bullet was a dockyard cannon-ball bigger than his own head.

From Project Gutenberg

Next moment Tom Brown sent a bullet straight into his heart, and his tail made a splendid flourish as he fell off his pedestal!

From Project Gutenberg

Once even a blue bean (a bullet) made sad work with my head, and my fist has got a deuce of a smashing.

From Project Gutenberg

In the meantime, whilst Captain Roman was running towards a house he was shot dead by a bullet in his breast.

From Project Gutenberg

I could almost afford to be shot for the pleasure of putting a bullet through the black heart of Jennison.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ammunition
• ball
• cartridge
• pellet
• projectile
• rocket
• round
• shot
• slug