Adjacent Words

Boy definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

BOY, n. [L. puer for puger, for we see by puella, that r is not radical. So the Gr. probably is contracted, for the derivative verb, forms.]
A male child, from birth to the age of puberty; but in general, applied to males under ten or twelve years of age; a lad. Sometimes it is used in contempt for a young man, indicating immaturity, want of vigor or judgment.
BOY, v.t. To treat as a boy.
Rather, to act as a boy; to imitate a boy in action. The passage in Shakespeare,in which this word is found,is supposed to allude to the practice of boys acting women's parts on the stage.
I shall see some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a youthful male person; "the baby was a boy"; "she made the boy brush his teeth every night"; "most soldiers are only boys in uniform" [syn: male child, boy] [ant: female child, girl, little girl]
2: a friendly informal reference to a grown man; "he likes to play golf with the boys"
3: a male human offspring; "their son became a famous judge"; "his boy is taller than he is" [syn: son, boy] [ant: daughter, girl]
4: (ethnic slur) offensive and disparaging term for Black man; "get out of my way, boy"

Merriam Webster's

noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English Date: 13th century 1. often offensive a male servant 2. a. a male child from birth to adulthood b. son c. an immature male <separate the men from the boys> <boy genius> d. sweetheart, beau 3. a. one native to a given place <local boy> b. fellow, person <the boys at the office> c. — used interjectionally to express intensity of feeling <boy, what a game> • boyhood noun • boyish adjective • boyishly adverb • boyishness noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & int. --n. 1 a male child or youth. 2 a young man, esp. regarded as not yet mature. 3 a male servant, attendant, etc. 4 (the boys) colloq. a group of men mixing socially. --int. expressing pleasure, surprise, etc. Phrases and idioms: boy scout = SCOUT(1) 4. boys in blue Brit. policemen. Derivatives: boyhood n. boyish adj. boyishly adv. boyishness n. Etymology: ME = servant, perh. ult. f. L boia fetter

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Boy Boy, n. In various countries, a male servant, laborer, or slave of a native or inferior race; also, any man of such a race. He reverted again and again to the labor difficulty, and spoke of importing boys from Capetown. --Frances Macnab.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Boy Boy, v. t. To act as a boy; -- in allusion to the former practice of boys acting women's parts on the stage. I shall see Some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness. --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Boy Boy, n. [Cf. D. boef, Fries. boi, boy; akin to G. bube, Icel. bofi rouge.] A male child, from birth to the age of puberty; a lad; hence, a son. My only boy fell by the side of great Dundee. --Sir W. Scott. Note: Boy is often used as a term of comradeship, as in college, or in the army or navy. In the plural used colloquially of members of an associaton, fraternity, or party. Boy bishop, a boy (usually a chorister) elected bishop, in old Christian sports, and invested with robes and other insignia. He practiced a kind of mimicry of the ceremonies in which the bishop usually officiated. The Old Boy, the Devil. [Slang] Yellow boys, guineas. [Slang, Eng.] Boy's love, a popular English name of Southernwood (Artemisia abrotonum); -- called also lad's love. Boy's play, childish amusements; anything trifling.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(boys) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. A boy is a child who will grow up to be a man. I knew him when he was a little boy... He was still just a boy. N-COUNT 2. You can refer to a young man as a boy, especially when talking about relationships between boys and girls. ...the age when girls get interested in boys. N-COUNT 3. Someone's boy is their son. (INFORMAL) Eric was my cousin Edward's boy... I have two boys. N-COUNT: usu poss N 4. You can refer to a man as a boy, especially when you are talking about him in an affectionate way. (INFORMAL) ...the local boy who made President... 'Come on boys', he shouted to the sailors. = lad N-COUNT: with supp [feelings] 5. see also backroom boy, blue-eyed boy, bully-boy, head boy, messenger boy, office boy, old boy, stable boy, Teddy boy 6. Some people say 'boy' or 'oh boy' in order to express feelings of excitement or admiration. (mainly AM INFORMAL) Oh Boy! Just think what I could tell him. EXCLAM [feelings]

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(yeledh, "child," na`ar, "lad," "youth"; ho pais and he pais): Refers to a child of any age, and is sometimes used of either sex: Joe 3:3; Zec 8:5; Mt 17:18; Lu 2:43; 8:51,54 fem.; Lu 9:42. In the East the word applies also to an adult who is a servant (Mt 8:6 the Revised Version, margin). The boy occupied a place of special importance in the family life of all ancient people. In Syria the father even was called by the name of his son. He was known as the father of Joseph, or whatever the n ame might be. As is true among all oriental people, while the father had absolute control in his case as well as in the case of the rest of the household, yet the boy received a consideration and advantages not accorded to the daughter. In the Jewish family his religious life began at the fourth year. He was expected to learn the Scriptures at five, the Mishna at ten, and to fulfill the whole law at thirteen. At twelve years he was expected to learn a trade, and attained to something of independence at that age, though he did not come into full rights as a citizen until he was twenty. Among many nations there was special rejoicing at the birth of the boy, and sometimes a feast. One of the most ancient customs was the planting of a cedar tree on this occasion.

See CHILD; FAMILY; SON.

Jacob W. Kapp

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Lad, stripling, male child.

Moby Thesaurus

American Indian, Amerind, Australian aborigine, Bushman, Caucasian, Indian, Malayan, Mister Charley, Mongolian, Negrillo, Negrito, Negro, Oriental, Red Indian, WASP, black, black man, blackfellow, bloke, brown man, bub, bubba, buck, bud, buddy, burrhead, chauffeur, coachman, colored person, colt, coon, cub, darky, driver, equerry, fellow, fledgling, gamin, gardener, gee, gent, gentleman, gillie, goody, gook, guy, he, hobbledehoy, honky, houseboy, houseman, jigaboo, jungle bunny, lad, laddie, lord-in-waiting, man, manchild, manservant, master, muchacho, nigger, niggra, ofay, paleface, pup, puppy, pygmy, ragamuffin, red man, redskin, schoolboy, slant-eye, small fry, son, sonny, sonny boy, spade, street arab, stripling, tad, the Man, urchin, valet, valet de chambre, whelp, whippersnapper, white, white man, whitey, yellow man, young man, youth