Words That Have Morphed

In the mid-1500's, the word "bully" was an affectionate term used by William Shakespeare in several of his plays, to refer to a good friend, sweetheart, or darling.

One hundred years later, the word took on a negative conotation, and was used to reference “a blustering, quarrelsome, overbearing person who habitually badgers and intimidates smaller or weaker people”. That's quite a metamorphosis, isn't it?

Few things bother me more than a bully. Bullies aren't just found on the school yard, either. Significant others, co-workers, and family members can be bullies, too. As a child, I was too timid to intervene when I saw bullying, but as an adult, I step in and defend the "victim" whenever I can. I still feel sick to my stomach when I remember the bullies at school making the lives of other kids miserable ... just because they could. And all these years later, I still remember the names of the bullies and the kids they picked on.

Over the years I've heard others "bragging" about how they always get their way, but I've got news for them ... always getting your way doesn't mean you are right ... it means you are a bully.