Past tense of bulldoze: to push or clear with a bulldozer machine, or to force someone into doing something against their will through intimidation.
From 'bull' (to push aggressively) + 'doze' (possibly from 'dose,' meaning a heavy blow). The verb was coined when bulldozer machinery was invented in the early 20th century and quickly became a metaphor for forcing one's way.
The word 'bulldoze' is a perfect example of how new technology creates new verbs—when powerful tractors appeared, Americans instantly grabbed the 'bull' metaphor and created this verb that now means both literal earth-moving and social coercion.
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