Plural of bullpate; a stupid person or someone with a thick, stubborn head; an archaic insult.
From 'bull' (stubborn animal) + 'pate' (head). This compound insult dates to the 1500s-1600s when 'pate' was common slang for head, emphasizing stupidity or obstinacy.
Shakespeare and his contemporaries loved creative insults—'bullpate' was a favorite because it combines the image of a stubborn animal with a simpleton, perfectly capturing a particular kind of fool.
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