bluster

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: blus=ter

CIDE DICTIONARY

bluster, v. i. [Allied to blast.].

•  To blow fitfully with violence and noise, as wind; to be windy and boisterous, as the weather.  [1913 Webster]

  "And ever-threatening storms
  Of Chaos blustering round."  [1913 Webster]
•  To talk with noisy violence; to swagger, as a turbulent or boasting person; to act in a noisy, tumultuous way; to play the bully; to storm; to rage.  [1913 Webster]

  "Your ministerial directors blustered like tragic tyrants."  [1913 Webster]

bluster, v. t. 

 To utter, or do, with noisy violence; to force by blustering; to bully.  [1913 Webster]
"He bloweth and blustereth out . . . his abominable blasphemy."  [1913 Webster]
"As if therewith he meant to bluster all princes into a perfect obedience to his commands."  [1913 Webster]

bluster, n. 

•  Fitful noise and violence, as of a storm; violent winds; boisterousness.  [1913 Webster]

  "To the winds they set
  Their corners, when with bluster to confound
  Sea, air, and shore."  [1913 Webster]
•  Noisy and violent or threatening talk; noisy and boastful language.  L'Estrange.  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- Noise; boisterousness; tumult; turbulence; confusion; boasting; swaggering; bullying.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

bluster, v. & n.
--v.intr.
1 behave pompously and boisterously; utter empty threats.
2 (of the wind etc.) blow fiercely.
--n.
1 noisily self-assertive talk.
2 empty threats.

Derivative

blusterer n. blustery adj.

Etymology

16th c.: ult. imit.

THESAURUS

bluster

agitation, bawl, be livid, be pissed, bellow, blast, blow, blow a hurricane, blow great guns, blow over, blow up, bludgeon, bluff, bluster and bluff, bluster out of, boast, boastfulness, boasting, bobbery, boil, boiling, bombast, bounce, brag, braggadocio, braggartism, bragging, bravado, brawl, breeze, breeze up, brew, broil, brouhaha, browbeat, browned off, bulldoze, bully, bullyrag, burn, bustle, cacophony, carry on, chafe, chaos, churn, clamor, come up, commotion, conceit, conturbation, cow, crow, demoralize, discomposure, disorder, disquiet, disquietude, disturbance, dragoon, draw the longbow, ebullition, embroilment, excitement, fanaticism, fanfaronade, ferment, fermentation, fever, feverishness, fidgets, flap, flourish, flurry, fluster, flutteration, foment, fomentation, foofaraw, frenzy, freshen, fret, fume, furor, furore, fury, fuss, gasconade, gasconism, gather, go on, grandiloquence, harangue, harass, have a conniption, hector, heroics, hot air, hubbub, huff, hurly-burly, inquietude, intimidate, jactation, jactitation, jitters, jumpiness, look big, maelstrom, malaise, moil, nerviness, nervosity, nervousness, out-herod Herod, pandemonium, passion, perturbation, pipe up, pissed off, puff, puffery, racket, rage, raging, raise Cain, raise hell, raise the devil, raise the roof, rant, rant and rave, rave, raving, restlessness, rodomontade, roil, roister, rollick, rout, row, ruckus, rumpus, seethe, seething, set in, show off, side, simmer, sizzle, slang, smoke, smolder, speak for Buncombe, splutter, sputter, squall, stew, stir, storm, storminess, storming, strut, swagger, swaggering, swashbuckle, swirl, systematically terrorize, take on, talk big, tempestuousness, terrorize, threaten, throw a fit, to-do, trepidation, trepidity, tumult, tumultuation, tumultuousness, turbidity, turbulence, turmoil, twitter, unease, unrest, uproar, upset, vanity, vapor, vaunt, vauntery, vaunting, waft, whiff, whiffle, wildness, zeal, zealousness

ROGET THESAURUS

bluster

Defiance

VB defy, dare, beard, brave, bid defiance to, set at defiance, set at naught, hurl defiance at, dance the war dance, beat the war drums, snap the fingers at, laugh to scorn, disobey, show fight, show one's teeth, show a bold front, bluster, look big, stand akimbo, beat one's chest, double the fist, shake the fist, threaten, challenge, call out, throw down the gauntlet, fling down the gauntlet, fling down the gage, fling down the glove, throw down the glove.

Violence

N violence, inclemency, vehemence, might, impetuosity, boisterousness, effervescence, ebullition, turbulence, bluster, uproar, callithump, riot, row, rumpus, le diable a quatre, devil to pay, all the fat in the fire, severity, ferocity, rage, fury, exacerbation, exasperation, malignity, fit, paroxysm, orgasm, climax, aphrodisia, force, brute force, outrage, coup de main, strain, shock, shog, spasm, convulsion, throe, hysterics, passion, outbreak, outburst, debacle, burst, bounce, dissilience, discharge, volley, explosion, blow up, blast, detonation, rush, eruption, displosion, torrent, turmoil, ferment, storm, tempest, rough weather, squall, earthquake, volcano, thunderstorm, berserk, berserker, fury, dragon, demon, tiger, beldame, Tisiphone, Megaera, Alecto, madcap, wild beast, fire eater, violent, vehement, warm, acute, sharp, rough, rude, ungentle, bluff, boisterous, wild, brusque, abrupt, waspish, impetuous, rampant, turbulent, disorderly, blustering, raging, troublous, riotous, tumultuary, tumultuous, obstreperous, uproarious, extravagant, unmitigated, ravening, inextinguishable, tameless, frenzied, desperate, infuriate, furious, outrageous, frantic, hysteric, in hysterics, fiery, flaming, scorching, hot, red-hot, ebullient, savage, fierce, ferocious, fierce as a tiger, excited, unquelled, unquenched, unextinguished, unrepressed, unbridled, unruly, headstrong, ungovernable, unappeasable, immitigable, unmitigable, uncontrollable, incontrollable, insuppressible, irrepressible, orgastic, orgasmatic, orgasmic, spasmodic, convulsive, explosive, detonating, volcanic, meteoric, stormy, violently, amain, by storm, by force, by main force, with might and main, tooth and nail, vi et armis, at the point of the sword, at the point of the bayonet, at one fell swoop, with a high hand, through thick and thin, in desperation, with a vengeance, a outrance, a toute outrance, headlong, head foremost, furor arma ministrat, blown with restless violence round about the pende.

VB be violent, run high, ferment, effervesce, romp, rampage, go on a rampage, run wild, run amuck, run riot, break the peace, rush, tear, rush headlong, rush foremost, raise a storm, make a riot, rough house, riot, storm, wreak, bear down, ride roughshod, out Herod, Herod, spread like wildfire (person), explode, make a row, kick up a row, boil, boil over, fume, foam, come on like a lion, bluster, rage, roar, fly off the handle, go bananas, go ape, blow one's top, blow one's cool, flip one's lid, hit the ceiling, hit the roof, fly into a rage (anger), break out, fly out, burst out, bounce, explode, go off, displode, fly, detonate, thunder, blow up, crump, flash, flare, burst, shock, strain, break open, force open, prize open, render violent, sharpen, stir up, quicken, excite, incite, annoy, urge, lash, stimulate, turn on, irritate, inflame, kindle, suscitate, foment, accelerate, aggravate, exasperate, exacerbate, convulse, infuriate, madden, lash into fury, fan the flame, add fuel to the flame, pour oil on the fire, oleum addere camino, explode, let fly, fly off, discharge, detonate, set off, detonize, fulminate.

Insolence

N insolence, haughtiness, arrogance, airs, overbearance, domineering, tyranny, impertinence, sauciness, flippancy, dicacity, petulance, procacity, bluster, swagger, swaggering, bounce, terrorism, assumption, presumption, beggar on horseback, usurpation, impudence, assurance, audacity, hardihood, front, face, brass, shamelessness, effrontery, hardened front, face of brass, assumption of infallibility, saucebox, insolent, haughty, arrogant, imperious, magisterial, dictatorial, arbitrary, high-handed, high and mighty, contumelious, supercilious, overbearing, intolerant, domineering, overweening, high-flown, flippant, pert, fresh, cavalier, saucy, forward, impertinent, malapert, precocious, assuming, would-be, bumptious, bluff, brazen, shameless, aweless, unblushlng, unabashed, brazen, boldfaced-, barefaced-, brazen-faced, dead to shame, lost to shame, impudent, audacious, presumptuous, free and easy, devil-may-care, rollicking, jaunty, janty, roistering, blustering, hectoring, swaggering, vaporing, thrasonic, fire eating, full of sound and fury, with a high hand, ex cathedra, one's bark being worse than his bite, beggars mounted run their horse to death, quid times? Caesarem vehis, wagahai wa (expressing superiority).

VB be insolent, bluster, vapor, swagger, swell, give oneself airs, snap one's fingers, kick up a dust, swear, rap out oaths, roister, arrogate, assume, presume, make bold, make free, take a liberty, give an inch and take an ell, domineer, bully, dictate, hector, lord it over, traiter de haut en bas, regarder de haut en bas, exact, snub, huff, beard, fly in the face of, put to the blush, bear down, beat down, browbeat, intimidate, trample down, tread down, trample under foot, dragoon, ride roughshod over, out face, outlook, outstare, outbrazen, outbrave, stare out of countenance, brazen out, lay down the law, teach one's grandmother to suck eggs, assume a lofty bearing, talk big, look big, put on big looks, act the grand seigneur, mount the high horse, ride the high horse, toss the head, carry, with a high hand, tempt Providence, want snuffing.

Threat

VB threat, threaten, menace, snarl, growl, gnarl, mutter, bark, bully, defy, intimidate, keep in terrorem, hold up in terrorem, hold out in terrorem, shake the fist at, double the fist at, clinch the fist at, thunder, talk big, fulminate, use big words, bluster, look daggers, stare daggers.