noun
bulldozer
BUUL-doh-zuh
noun
1
A heavy tracked vehicle fitted with a large blade at the front, used for clearing or levelling ground.
"A bulldozer cleared the site before construction began."
2
An overbearing, forceful person who pushes others aside to get their way.
"She's a total bulldozer in meetings — nobody else gets a word in."
How to Use Bulldozer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe heavy machine used to clear land, or an overbearing person who steamrolls others.
Common pairings
drive a bulldozer
bulldozer blade
Word Forms
bulldozered past tense, bulldozers plural, bulldozers singular
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A _____ cleared the site before construction began.
Etymology
Originally coined in 1870s Louisiana for someone who intimidated others by force; the earthmoving machine was later named after that sense, figuratively.