John Bullism

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From John Bull +‎ -ism.

Noun[edit]

John Bullism (countable and uncountable, plural John Bullisms)

  1. (uncountable) Typical English (or British) character or nature. [from 18th c.]
    • 1791, Frances Burney, Journals and Letters, Penguin, published 2001, page 337:
      After a little deliberation, we now were touched to shake off a part of the John Bullism that had encrusted us [] .
  2. (countable, now rare) Something characteristic of the English (or British); an English act, word or characteristic. [from 18th c.]