bulldoze
UK[ˈbʊldəʊz]US[ˈbʊldoʊz]
v
To clear, level, or destroy with a bulldozer.
v
To coerce or intimidate someone into doing something.
Morpheme Breakdown
bull
doze
bull
doze
Etymology
The word 'bulldoze' originated in late 19th century America, originally as a noun ('bulldose') referring to a severe flogging or a large, powerful dose of punishment or medicine. Its first element, 'bull', evokes raw force and intimidation. The second element is an altered form of 'dose'. The term was quickly applied to the powerful, force-application machines used for earth-moving, which could metaphorically "administer a bull dose" to the landscape. Thus, the literal components meaning "bull-force" and "dose" evolved from describing physical punishment to describing the action of a heavy tractor and, by extension, any act of forceful coercion.
Analysis
Structure: bull + doze
- bull: Origin: English. Functional Role: The word 'bull', used here in a figurative sense to imply force, strength, or bluntness.
- doze: Origin: English (variant of 'dose'). Functional Role: A suffix here, likely derived from 'dose' in the sense of a measured amount, but reinterpreted in this compound.
Examples
The construction crew will bulldoze the old warehouse to make way for the new park.
He tried to bulldoze his proposal through the committee without any discussion.
You can't just bulldoze people into agreeing with you; you need to persuade them.