Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of 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.
\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.
\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.