bully pulpit
- noun
- /ˈbʊli ˈpʌlpɪt/
- Literature
- Most notably, however, Fernández de Kirchner used the bully pulpit to criticize those opposing the bill.
- use the bully pulpit
And within the civil service, even if you were very high up, the bully pulpit may not be yours.
- And within the civil service, even if you were very high up, the bully pulpit may not be yours.
- So, you know, he's giving back in another way and using what we could call his bully pulpit.
- She also said today that it's quote, astounding that some believe you can't govern, be popular and command a bully pulpit at the same time.
- I am terrified about what could possibly happen because our leaders matter who we select, who speaks for us, who holds that bully pulpit.
- Joe Biden is is from his bully pulpit Presidency is promoting like the biggest threat to America is white supremacy.
Examples
-
I'm afraid that the bully pulpit does not accomplish the task.
Blog text (25) -
The presidency is uniquely a place of moral leadership, said Harry Truman, a "bully pulpit," said Theodore Roosevelt.
Blog text (11) -
Yes, others have said this, but not with the power of the bully pulpit.
Blog text (25) -
Teddy Roosevelt had his bully pulpit.
Academic text (1995) -
If you're independent and you use that bully pulpit right.
-
Hopefully you can use your "bully pulpit" to explain and advise whether this is occurring.
Blog text (29) -
On the other hand, his inability to use the bully pulpit effectively could be contributing to his ineffectiveness.
Blog text (32) -
Traditionally, cabinet secretaries are tasked with promoting administration policies through the bully pulpit.
Academic text (2016) -
Annan has used his bully pulpit to mediate some of the high-profile conflicts between countries and firms.
Academic text (2001) -
The senator used her bully pulpit to advocate for healthcare reform, ensuring her voice was heard on the issue.
Synonyms
A raised platform in a church where a preacher speaks to the people
How Influential
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun 'pulpit' clearly denotes an elevated platform for speaking and the listed archaic sense of 'bully' ('splendid, excellent') yields a compositional reading of 'an excellent platform' — so a learner who knows those constituent meanings can infer an opportunity to speak. However, the archaic meaning of 'bully' is uncommon and modern senses (to intimidate) or the historical/figurative shift to 'public office' are idiomatic, so the meaning is not fully predictable for a typical B1 learner.
Etymology
Bully pulpit comes from President Theodore Roosevelt, who used bully to mean 'great' and pulpit to mean a raised platform for speaking. So a bully pulpit is a 'great' place or job where someone can speak out and make people listen.