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bluster

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

WOTD – 20 March 2009

FromMiddle Englishblusteren(“to wander about aimlessly”); however, apparently picking up the modern sense fromMiddle Low Germanblüstren(“to blow violently”; compare laterLow Germanblustern,blistern). Related toblow,blast. Compare alsoSaterland Frisianbloasje(“to blow”),bruusje(“to bluster”).

bluster (countable anduncountable,pluralblusters)

Pompous,officioustalk.
- 2013 June 22, “Engineers of a different kind”, inThe Economist, volume407, number8841, page70:
  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-relationsbluster.
Agust ofwind.
Fitful noise and violence.

pompous, officious talk

gust of wind

fitful noise and violence

bluster (third-person singular simple presentblusters,present participleblustering,simple past and past participleblustered)

Tospeak orprotest loudly.
When confronted by opposition his reaction was tobluster, which often cowed the meek.
To act or speak in an unduly threatening manner.
- 1774 April 19,Edmund Burke,Speech of Edmund Burke, Esq. on American Taxation, April 19, 1774, 2nd edition, London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], published1775,→OCLC:
  Your ministerial directorsblustered like tragic tyrants.
- 1532,Thomas More,Confutation of Tyndale's Answer:
  He bloweth andblustereth out[…] his abominable blasphemy.
- 1655,Thomas Fuller,The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […],→OCLC,(please specify |book=I to XI):
  As if therewith he meant tobluster all princes into a perfect obedience to his commands.
Toblow in strong orsuddengusts.
- 1667,John Milton, “Book III”, inParadise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […];[a]nd by Robert Boulter […];[a]nd Matthias Walker, […],→OCLC; republished asParadise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […],1873,→OCLC:
  And ever-threatening storms / Of Chaosblustering round.