/ bɔɪ; NAmE / noun , exclamation
■ noun
1.
[ C ] a male child or a young male person :
a little / small / young boy
I used to play here as a boy.
The older boys at school used to tease him.
Now she's a teenager, she's starting to be interested in boys.
—see also old boy , toy boy
2.
[ C ] a young son :
They have two boys and a girl.
Her eldest boy is at college.
3.
[ C ] (in compounds; offensive when used of an older man) a boy or young man who does a particular job :
a delivery boy
—see also back-room boys , barrow boy , best boy
4.
[ C ] a way of talking about sb who comes from a particular place, etc. :
He's a local boy .
a city / country boy
5.
the boys [ pl. ] ( informal ) a group of male friends who often go out together :
a night out with the boys
6.
our boys [ pl. ] a way of talking with affection about your country's soldiers
7.
( NAmE , taboo ) used as an offensive way of addressing a black man, especially in the past
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IDIOMS
- the boys in blue
- boys will be boys
—more at job noun , man noun , work noun
■ exclamation
( informal , especially NAmE ) used to express feelings of surprise, pleasure, pain, etc. :
Boy, it sure is hot!
Oh boy! That's great!
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (denoting a male servant): of unknown origin.