bluster

WOTD – 20 March 2009    

English

Etymology

From Middle Low German blüstren (“to blow violently”)

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈblʌs.tə/
• (US) IPA: /ˈblʌs.tɚ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌstə(r)

Noun

bluster (plural blusters)

1. Pompous, officious talk.
2. A gust of wind.
3. Fitful noise and violence.

Synonyms

• (pompous talk): bombast

Translations

pompous, officious talk

• Bulgarian: самохвалство (bg) (samohvalstvo) n
• Czech: chvástání (cs) n
• Finnish: mahtailu (fi)

• Maori: whāuraura (mi), tūpererū (mi)
• Norwegian: uforskammet mas, tomme trusler (no)
• Scottish Gaelic: bòst (gd), bòilich (gd) f, bagairt (gd) f, bagradh (gd) m

gust of wind

• Bulgarian: порив (bg) (poriv) m
• Czech: hukot (cs) m

• Finnish: tuulenpuuska (fi), puuska (fi)
• Maori: pūrekereke (mi)
• Scottish Gaelic: beucadh (gd) m

fitful noise and violence

• Czech: kravál (cs) m
• Maori: whakatūpehupehu (mi)
• Norwegian: raseri (no) n, bråk (no) n

• Scottish Gaelic: gleadhraich (gd) f

Verb

bluster (third-person singular simple present blusters, present participle blustering, simple past and past participle blustered)

1. To speak or protest loudly.

   When confronted by opposition his reaction was to bluster, which often cowed the meek.

2. To act or speak in an unduly threatening manner.
3. To blow in strong or sudden gusts.

Translations

to speak or protest loudly

• Czech: zuřit (cs)
• Finnish: mahtailla (fi), uhota (fi)

• Maori: rūtā (mi)
• Norwegian: bråke (no), bruke seg (no), opptre uforskammet
• Scottish Gaelic: bagair (gd)

to blow in strong or sudden gusts

• Bulgarian: вилнея (bg) (vilneja), бушувам (bg) (bušuvam)
• Czech: bouřit (cs)
• Finnish: tuulla (fi) puuskaisesti (fi)

• Norwegian: rase (no)
• Russian: реветь (ru) (revetʹ), бушевать (ru) (buševatʹ)
• Scottish Gaelic: stoirmich (gd)

Derived terms

• blusterer
• blustering
• blusterous
• blustery

Anagrams

• butlers
• subtler