bluster
Pompous, officious talk.
Noun
- Pompous, officious talk.
- Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers. Piling debt onto companies’ balance-sheets is only a small part of what leveraged buy-outs are about, they insist. Improving the workings of the businesses...
- A gust of wind.
- Fitful noise and violence.
Origin
From Middle English blusteren (“to wander about aimlessly”); however, apparently picking up the modern sense from Middle Low German blüstren (“to blow violently”; compare later Low German blustern, blistern). Related to blow, blast. Compare also Saterland Frisian bloasje (“to blow”), bruusje (“to bluster”).
Forms
Synonyms
Derived
all bluff and bluster blusteration blustersome blustrification outbluster
Verb
- To speak or protest loudly.
- When confronted by opposition his reaction was to bluster, which often cowed the meek.
- To act or speak in an unduly threatening manner.
- Your ministerial directors blustered like tragic tyrants. - 1774 April 19, Edmund Burke, Speech of Edmund Burke, Esq. on American Taxation, April 19, 1774, 2nd edition, London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], published 1775,...
- He bloweth and blustereth out […] his abominable blasphemy. - 1532, Thomas More, Confutation of Tyndale's Answer:
- As if therewith he meant to bluster all princes into a perfect obedience to his commands. - 1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI):
- To blow in strong or sudden gusts (refers to winds).
- And ever-threatening storms / Of Chaos blustering round. - 1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd...