bluster
/ˈblʌs.tɚ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.58 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To act or speak in an unduly threatening manner.
Example Sentences
- "Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers. Piling debt onto companies’ balance-sheets is only a small part of what leveraged buy-outs are about, they insist. Improving the workings of the businesses they take over is just as core to their calling, if not more so. Much of their pleading is public-relations bluster."
- "When confronted by opposition his reaction was to bluster, which often cowed the meek."
- "Your ministerial directors blustered like tragic tyrants."
- "He bloweth and blustereth out […] his abominable blasphemy."
- "As if therewith he meant to bluster all princes into a perfect obedience to his commands."
- "And ever-threatening storms / Of Chaos blustering round."
Etymology
From Middle English blusteren (“to wander about aimlessly”); however, apparently picking up the modern sense from Middle Low German blüstren (“to blow violently”; compare later Low German blustern, blistern). Related to blow, blast. Compare also Saterland Frisian bloasje (“to blow”), bruusje (“to bluster”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: blusteren, blüstren
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈblʌs.tɚ/
- British English: /ˈblʌs.tə/