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.
⇒ 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.
© Webster 1913
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 1913
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 1913