[Of recent introduction, having superseded bull-feast (see BULL sb.1 10), which is found in Ash and Bailey, while neither they nor Johnson give bull-fight.] A sport practised in Spain, in which a bull is first attacked by horsemen called toreadores, and footmen called picadores, and finally slain by a swordsman called matador. Hence Bull-fighter, -ing vbl. sb.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v. Bull, Bull-fighting, a sport or exercise much in vogue among the Spaniards and Portugueze.
1788. Ld. Auckland, Diary, in Corr., II. 63. All the gentlemen … went for the first time to the bull-fight.
1846. Byron’s Wks., 13/1, note. The professional bull-fighter gave … lessons.
1862. Sat. Rev., XIV. 219/2. If we go on in this way, we shall be ready for bull-fights and gladiators.
1883. J. MacGregor, in Sunday Mag., 575/1. Ferdinand VII. founded at Seville a university for the education of students in the art of bull-fighting.
b. ? = BULL-BAITING.
1824. J. Macculloch, Highlands Scotl., I. 367. If there is not a bull-fight at Wrexham or Stamford, some squire is born, and there is a bull-feast at Grantham or Chirk.
