The Geneva Bull
Preserved but no longer current.
A nickname given to Stephen Marshall (c. 1594-1655), a Presby- terian divine, and one of the authors of Smectymnuus (?.v.), because he was a disciple of John Calvin, of Geneva, and when preach- ing he roared like a "bull of Bashan.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Geneva Bull” mean?
A nickname given to Stephen Marshall (c. 1594-1655), a Presby- terian divine, and one of the authors of Smectymnuus (?.v.), because he was a disciple of John Calvin, of Geneva, and when preach- ing he roared like a "bull of Bashan.
Is “The Geneva Bull” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.