Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

red rag to a bull

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.48 in modern English

Syllables: red rag -to a bull
IPA

17

Scrabble Score

13

Letters

2

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Something that will enrage another particular person.

Example Sentences

"Simply mentioning the word "nationalism" to him is like a red rag to a bull."
"This was a red rag to the bull. He raged and stormed so (he was crossing the river at the time) that I judge it made him blind, because he ran over the steering-oar of a trading-scow."
"Any suspicion of impropriety was to Elizabeth-Jane like a red rag to a bull."
"He did not say that he had been visiting among his neighbours; this to Pryer would have been like a red rag to a bull."
"The rolling around and screams of anguish from Porro though were like a red rag to a bull for the Scotland support, who howled and harangued his every touch before he was withdrawn at the interval, presumably for his own safety."

Etymology

In reference to the muleta used by matadors in bullfighting.

Inflected Forms

red rags to a bull (plural) red rag (alternative) red rag to bulls (alternative)

Synonyms

red flag to a bull

Questions

What does red rag to a bull mean?: Something that will enrage another particular person.
Where does red rag to a bull come from?: In reference to the muleta used by matadors in bullfighting.

How to pronounce red rag to a bull

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