A blustering, threatening manner or tone used by a bully; aggressive posturing intended to intimidate.
Combines 'bully' with 'huff' (from Middle English, possibly imitative in origin, meaning a fit of anger or a sudden gust). The compound reflects 17th-century coinage when 'bully' described swaggering ruffians who used intimidating bluster.
Many of the most aggressive-sounding actions—from 'bluster' to 'huffing'—use words with soft, almost silly consonants. This linguistic irony reveals something true about bullying: often the loudest, most intimidating behavior masks insecurity, making it more theatrical than truly dangerous.
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