OLD BOY

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does old boy mean? 

• OLD BOY (noun)
  The noun OLD BOY has 3 senses:

1. a familiar term of address for a man

2. a vivacious elderly man

3. a former male pupil of a school

  Familiarity information: OLD BOY used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• OLD BOY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A familiar term of address for a man

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

old boy; old man

Hypernyms ("old boy" is a kind of...):

adult male; man (an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman))

Sense 2

Meaning:

A vivacious elderly man

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("old boy" is a kind of...):

golden ager; old person; oldster; senior citizen (an elderly person)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A former male pupil of a school

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("old boy" is a kind of...):

alum; alumna; alumnus; grad; graduate (a person who has received a degree from a school (high school or college or university))

 Context examples 

"But you've got to quit cussin', Martin, old boy; you've got to quit cussin'," he said aloud.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

“To think,” said Traddles, “that you should have been so nearly coming home as you must have been, my dear old boy, and not at the ceremony!”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Yes, he was his heir, and the old boy is nearly eighty—cram full of gout, too.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Last year I accompanied my daughter Chrissie, her husband, Leo (yes, that is his real name and he is a Leo), and their little two-and-a-half year old boy, Otis, when they went to Macy’s to see Santa in his Wonderland Workshop.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

“Why, Copperfield, old boy, don't be overpowered!”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

"It's good advertising, Martin, old boy," Brissenden repeated solemnly.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

“I tell you what, old boy,” he added, “I shall make quite a town-house of this place, unless you give me notice to quit.”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

“Why, Daisy, old boy, dumb-foundered!” laughed Steerforth, shaking my hand heartily, and throwing it gaily away.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Daisy, if anything should ever separate us, you must think of me at my best, old boy.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

My poor little wife was in such affliction when she thought I should be annoyed, and in such a state of joy when she found I was not, that the discomfiture I had subdued, very soon vanished, and we passed a happy evening; Dora sitting with her arm on my chair while Traddles and I discussed a glass of wine, and taking every opportunity of whispering in my ear that it was so good of me not to be a cruel, cross old boy.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)