good old boy

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word good old boy. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word good old boy, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say good old boy in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word good old boy you have here. The definition of the word good old boy will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofgood old boy, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • Audio (AU)(file)

Noun

good old boy (plural good old boys)

  1. A male friend or chum, especially a schoolmate; a man with an established network of friends who assist one another in social and business situations; a decent, dependable fellow.
    • 1899, Stephen Crane, chapter 5, in Active Service:
      "Billie, what kind of a lad is that young Coke up at Washurst?" He addressed an old college friend. . . .
      "He's one of those Ohio Cokes—regular thing—father millionaire—used to be a barber—good old boy."
    • 1910, H. Rider Haggard, chapter 7, in Queen Sheba's Ring:
      Tell these fellows to say to their Sultan that he is a good old boy, and that we thank him very much.
  3. (sometimes derogatory) A white man who embodies the culture stereotypically associated with the Southern US, such as bias against nonwhite people, and other conservative attitudes.
    • 1973, "Quick Cuts" (film review), Time, 24 Sep.:
      "White Lightning" concerns a good old boy named Gator McKluskey (Burt Reynolds) who is serving time in the Arkansas pen for messing around with illegal liquor.
    • 1984 August 18, R. L. Richardson, “Women In Cages”, in Gay Community News, volume 12, number 6, page 7:
      The Texas Department of "Corrections" is the largest state prison system in this country, with more than 20 separate units housing upwards of 35,000 prisoners. The system is run by a network of "good old boys," and its policies are a direct reflection of their personal morals and values, so homophobia is the rule rather than the exception.

Synonyms

Coordinate terms

  • (friendly, unambitious white man in rural southern US): bubba, cracker, redneck
  • (unsophisticated resident of a rural area): yokel

Derived terms

See also

References

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia