British informal term meaning difficult, stubborn, or awkward; sometimes used to describe someone with left-wing political views.
From 'Bolshevik,' this informal British term originally meant 'communist' but evolved to mean 'uncooperative' or 'contrary' by the early 20th century.
British people borrowed this word to mean 'stubborn' without necessarily meaning 'communist'—it shows how political insults become diluted into everyday descriptors when they're used broadly.
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