A historical term for a person who intimidates or bullies others into giving them money or favors, often through threats or aggressive behavior.
From 'bull' (to push aggressively) + 'beggar' (one who asks for money). The compound originated in Middle English to describe aggressive panhandlers who used intimidation rather than politeness to extract charity.
In medieval and Renaissance England, 'bullbeggars' were such a recognized social problem that they inspired laws and literature—they were essentially the protection racketeers of the beggar world, taking money from other poor people through threats.
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