Where does “bully” come from?

bully (Dutch) comes from English bully, from Dutch boel, from Dutch boedel, from Middle Dutch boedel, from Old Dutch buothal.

bully (Dutch): bully way of resuming the game with a standoff between two opposing players who repeatedly hit each other's sticks, then try to gain possession of the ball

Definitions

bully way of resuming the game with a standoff between two opposing players who repeatedly hit each other's sticks, then try to gain possession of the ball

Ancestry of “bully”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	English	bully	A person who is intentionally, physically, or...
2	Dutch	boel	a lot, bunch; mess, disorderly heap; quarrel
3	Dutch	boedel	estate
4	Middle Dutch	boedel	—
5	Old Dutch	buothal	—

Every word from Old Dutch buothal →Every word from Middle Dutch boedel →Every word from Dutch boedel →