boy

[[t]bɔ͟ɪ[/t]]

♦

boys

1) N-COUNT 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.

2) N-COUNT 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.

3) N-COUNT: usu poss N Someone's boy is their son. [INFORMAL]

Eric was my cousin Edward's boy...

I have two boys.

4) N-COUNT: with supp (feelings) 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.

Syn:

lad

5) N-VOC You can use boy when giving instructions to a horse or dog.

Down, boy, down!

6) → See also , blue-eyed boy, , head boy, , office boy, , stable boy, Teddy boy

7) PHRASE The police are sometimes referred to as the boys in blue. [OLD-FASHIONED]

8) EXCLAM (feelings) 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.

9) PHRASE If you say boys will be boys, for example when a group of men are behaving noisily or aggressively, you are suggesting in a light-hearted way that this is typical male behaviour and will never change.

10) PHRASE: usu v-link PHR If a man is described as one of the boys, he is accepted by a group of male friends who do things that are thought of as typically masculine.

He wants to be accepted as one of the boys.

Syn:

one of the lads